Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College, Ossett

Ofsted's report card from its 24 February 2026 inspection grades Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College on 7 areas: 1 strong standard, 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils' achievements in national tests and examinations, such as GCSEs, have been consistently above or close to national averages over time."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have constructed a coherent and ambitious curriculum."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders seek to put vulnerable pupils first."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leadership has successfully brought about improvements at the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders provide a structured personal development programme."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of the 16 to 19 study programmes."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "For some groups of pupils, particularly the most disadvantaged, attendance has not been high enough historically."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure they continue to work to improve pupils' attendance and reduce rates of persistent absence, particularly for disadvantaged pupils"; "Leaders should ensure that they support teachers, including those in the sixth form, to deliver the curriculum with a high degree of consistency, explaining concepts and activities well and questioning pupils with precision".

In 2026, pupils at Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Wakefield and 47 across England.

51% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Wakefield and 47% in England.

That is down from 51 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.24: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 39.8, against 53.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 236 families put Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College as their first choice and 452 named it as one of their preferences, for 292 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College are Horbury Academy (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 51); Thornhill Community Academy, A Share Academy (1.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.1); Manor Croft Academy (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.9); and Trinity Academy Cathedral (2.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 50.9).

Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College is one of 12 schools run by Place Partnership - A Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.

141 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College (as of April 2026): 67% would recommend the school, 63% say their child is happy there and 31% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (68%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (31%).

Of the 291 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 36% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 114 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 40% went on to university or other higher education, 17% to apprenticeships and 29% into work. 10% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

3.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 297 pupils (17.5%) received SEN support and 33 (1.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Dewsbury Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Storrs Hill Road, 110 metres away.

In 2024/25, Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College issued 718 suspensions, 41.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College are St Ignatius Catholic Primary School (0.1 miles), South Ossett Infant Academy (0.2 miles), Dimple Well Infant School and Nursery (0.3 miles) and Ossett Southdale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.