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Airedale Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Crewe Road, Airedale, Castleford WF10 3JU · airedaleacademy.com · 01977 664555
On the mapSearch near WF10 3JU
Overview
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement
- 2019 framework · inspected Jan 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 33.8
- average Attainment 8 score. Wakefield 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,008
- 81% of 1,250 places
- Local authority
- Wakefield
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 51.9%
- First language not English
- 7.6%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 144 families put the school first and 155 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 155 | 144 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 177 | 141 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 173 | 164 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 189 | 150 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 210 | 156 | 0.7 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 33.8, and 25.1% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Wakefield it was 45.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼33.8 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼25.1% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼43.6% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼4.6% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.81 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sixth form college | 22.2 | −0.7 |
| Further education | 55.7 | +11.3 |
| Other education | 0.6 | +0.1 |
| Apprenticeship | 3.2 | −0.1 |
| Employment | 3.2 | −3.3 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 10.1 | −2.5 |
| Activity not captured | 5.1 | +0.9 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
Applied general average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 students | Dist- (31.3) | Average -0.04 |
| Earlier years: Applied general | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 7 | Dist- (30.6) | — |
| 2022/23 | 30 | Dist (33.4) | — |
| 2021/22 | 22 | Dist+ (38.4) | — |
| 2018/19 | 7 | Dist (35.5) | -0.22 |
| 2017/18 | 33 | Dist- (31.4) | -0.06 |
| 2016/17 | 32 | — | +0.53 |
| 2015/16 | 37 | — | +0.96 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 33.3 | +20 |
| Apprenticeship | 25 | +21.7 |
| Employment | 16.7 | −50 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 25 | +15 |
Ofsted
Airedale Academy was judged Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, on 30 January 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Requires improvement
- Inspected
- 30 Jan 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Requires improvement |
| Personal development | Requires improvement |
| Leadership and management | Requires improvement |
| Sixth form | Requires improvement |
Previously: Concerns, ungraded inspection, Nov 2022
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2022Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Sept 2017Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective Nov 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
19% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (52 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 19%
- Replies
- 52
- 5% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 92% who raised concerns
based on the 71% who had a child bullied
based on 12 parents (23%) with SEND