Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Wakefield
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Wakefield. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 48th-highest of the 51 schools in Wakefield with published results, and 12,253rd of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Wakefield (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 60% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 75% in Wakefield and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 43% in reading and 57% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 33 families put Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School as their first choice and 65 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School are Outwood Primary Academy Greenhill (0.4 miles, 63% reading, 77% maths); St Austin's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 73% reading, 60% maths); Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill (0.5 miles, Good, 68% reading, 71% maths); and Wakefield Pinders Primary (JIN) School (0.6 miles, Good, 70% reading, 65% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
Outwood Primary Academy GreenhillSt Austin's Catholic Primary SchoolOutwood Primary Academy Park HillWakefield Pinders Primary (JIN) School
Who goes there
70.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (48%), other ethnic groups (13%) and Black (11%).
In 2026, 19 pupils (7.5%) received SEN support and 18 (7.1%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Wakefield Kirkgate Rail Station, about 230 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hepworth B Kirkgate Stn (at), 220 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 3rd decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 640 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Wakefield (130), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School are Outwood Academy City Fields (0.7 miles); St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy (1.4 miles); and Trinity Academy Cathedral (1.4 miles).
Outwood Academy City FieldsSt Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary AcademyTrinity Academy Cathedral
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from November 2017, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a genuinely happy school where children feel valued as individuals and develop excellent behaviour through strong staff relationships. Reading is prioritized with a structured phonics approach, and the school gives considerable attention to spoken language development, which is particularly important given the diverse community served. Children with additional needs are well-supported and benefit from enriching experiences including educational visits.
Key Strengths
- Pupils behave exceptionally well with excellent relationships between staff and pupils - Bullying is rare and pupils are confident staff will address any issues promptly - Strong emphasis on reading with a carefully sequenced phonics programme and well-developed library - Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are very well supported - Personal development is a priority with enriching trips and a strong pastoral support system
Areas for Improvement
- Limited opportunities for pupils to apply mathematical knowledge through problem-solving and reasoning activities - Some foundation subjects lack clarity about the key knowledge pupils are expected to learn and remember - Pupils show less skill at remembering key knowledge taught in subjects like art and geography
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a strong culture of safeguarding underpinned by the school's Christian ethos, thorough record-keeping, prompt referrals when needed, and staff receiving regular training.
Extracurricular Activities
Rugby, Football, Cheerleading, School Parliament (eco-friendly initiatives), Year 5 Mental Health Ambassadors, Educational trips including Kingswood residential visit and Hepworth Museum
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School continues to be a good school where pupils flourish in a happy, caring and harmonious environment. The school has ambitious leaders who have developed a wide-ranging curriculum reflecting the diverse community it serves.
At a Glance
25.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 43% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 60% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 60% to 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.0
Avg class size
30.5
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
- Utopia Gymnastics Limited380m away · Not yet graded
- GMI Education Centre Tutoring840m away · Not yet graded
- Pinders Primary School Tutoring900m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is in Wakefield; for families living there:
- Wakefield's school travel policy: Home To School Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 69
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 17
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 69 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 17 serious and 52 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Wakefield is 13 (the median across 157 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Will you get a place at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wakefield, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Wakefield got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
203 pupils
210 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Wakefield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wakefield
Across Wakefield council
Places available
4,391
Applications
3,654
Got 1st preference
94.4%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Wakefield council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
19
SEN Support
18
EHC Plans
14.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
255
Total Pupils
121
Boys
134
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
23.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,452
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,102
Per pupil
£1427k
Total funding
£91k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.6%
Overall absence
17.2%
Persistent absence
192
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Questions parents ask about Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
What are SATs results like at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Of the pupils at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 60% did so in maths.
What is Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is oversubscribed, Wakefield allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Classes at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School average 25 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School has around 255 pupils on roll. 26% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
6.6% of sessions were missed at Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in 2024/25. 17.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Apply through Wakefield's coordinated admissions process, naming Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School: Utopia Gymnastics Limited (380m away, registered, not yet graded), GMI Education Centre Tutoring (840m away, registered, not yet graded) and Pinders Primary School Tutoring (900m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 69 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 17 serious and 52 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Wakefield is 13 (the median across 157 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is at Charles Street, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 4PE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)