Oyster Park Primary Academy, Castleford
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Oyster Park creates a warm, welcoming environment where your child will feel safe and cared for. The school excels at supporting vulnerable pupils and those with additional needs, with staff working closely with parents and external professionals. Your child will have access to a broad curriculum with excellent enrichment opportunities including trips, musical performances, outdoor adventures and clubs.
Key Strengths
- Strong personal development and wellbeing programme with excellent pastoral care and enrichment activities
- Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, with external professionals praising the school as a 'beacon of belonging'
- Warm, nurturing environment with positive relationships between staff and pupils
- Well-designed professional development supporting staff expertise and ambition for pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been below national averages for 3 years
- Teaching quality is inconsistent - some classes teach effectively while others do not meet pupils' individual learning needs
- Too many pupils have poor attendance, with improvements only beginning to show
- Knowledge gaps remain in some classes where teachers do not use assessment data precisely to guide teaching
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Residential outdoor adventure experiences, musical instrument lessons, singing performances, sports competitions, themed weeks, workshops with external experts, democratic process week, faith and culture visitor sessions, extra-curricular clubs
Oyster Park Primary Academy is a nurturing school that prioritizes pupil wellbeing and personal development with strong safeguarding practices. However, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics remains below national averages, and teaching quality is inconsistent across classes.
At a Glance
50.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 77% to 54%. Maths has declined from 72% to 59%. Writing has declined from 70% to 46%.
Class Sizes
21.8
Avg class size
21.2
Infant (KS1)
21.8
KS2
16
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
83%
Available places
349 pupils
420 capacity
71 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Castleford
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Castleford
Admissions Demand - Wakefield
Places available
4,426
Applications
3,755
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.2%
Primary admissions across Wakefield (2025/26)
Inspection History(12)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.71705%
Overall absence
28.52234%
Persistent absence
291
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Oyster Park Primary Academy
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