Oyster Park Primary Academy, Castleford

Ofsted's report card from its 24 February 2026 inspection grades Oyster Park Primary Academy on 7 areas: 1 strong standard, 3 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Pupils have a wealth of opportunities to support their personal development and wellbeing."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children make a positive start to school life."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders accurately identify pupils' individual needs and barriers to learning."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have driven rapid, purposeful improvement since the school joined the new trust a year ago."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been below national averages for the past 3 years."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Too many pupils do not attend school regularly."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Pupils experience varied teaching."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should make sure attendance rates improve for all pupils and that persistent absence reduces, so that overall attendance is at least in line with national averages"; "Leaders should continue to embed their actions to improve consistency in the curriculum and teaching and further support teachers to use assessment strategies effectively to help pupils overcome barriers to learning"; "Leaders should ensure that all teachers know how to address gaps in learning effectively so that all pupils progress through the curriculum and achieve well".

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Oyster Park Primary Academy, children are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating a safe, nurturing and inspiring environment where every child feels valued, confident and able to thrive."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care.

In 2025, 54% of Year 6 pupils at Oyster Park Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 59% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 75% in Wakefield and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 77% in reading and 72% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 26 families put Oyster Park Primary Academy as their first choice and 46 named it as one of their preferences, for 26 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Oyster Park Primary Academy are Fairburn View Primary School, Castleford (0.3 miles, Good, 60% reading, 55% maths); Airedale Junior Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 71% reading, 75% maths); Townville Academy (0.6 miles); and Airedale Infant Academy (0.6 miles, Good).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Oyster Park Primary Academy.

Oyster Park Primary Academy is one of 9 schools run by Castleford Academy Trust, an academy trust.

11 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Oyster Park Primary Academy (as of April 2026): 64% would recommend the school, 64% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (64%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (36%).

46.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 11.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 110 pupils (31.5%) received SEN support and 21 (6%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

Oyster Park Primary Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs: 18 places, 16 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Glasshoughton Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.

19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Elizabeth Drive Hobart Rd, 170 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Oyster Park Primary Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 196 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Wakefield (130), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Oyster Park Primary Academy issued 13 suspensions, 3.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Oyster Park Primary Academy are Airedale Academy (0.5 miles) and Castleford Academy (1.5 miles).