Schools by area › Wakefield › Ark Halfpenny Lane Primary School
Ark Halfpenny Lane Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Academy
Halfpenny Lane, Pontefract WF8 4BW · arkhalfpennylane.org.uk · 01977 703270
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected May 2025
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 93%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Wakefield 63%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 434
- 14 over 420 places · 103%
- Local authority
- Wakefield
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 20.6%
- First language not English
- 6.9%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Ark Schools
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 43 families put the school first and 49 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 49 | 43 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 49 | 37 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 55 | 54 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 49 | 40 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 53 | 48 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 93% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 26% the higher standard. Across Wakefield it was 63%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲93% | 62% | ||
| ▲26% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲111 | 106 | ||
| ▲110 | 105 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Ark Halfpenny Lane Primary School on 20 May 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 20 May 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Early years | Outstanding |
Previously: Improving, ungraded inspection, Apr 2024
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Apr 2024Ungraded inspectionImproving
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Feb 2019Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Mar 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Good Apr 2012Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good
What parents said
88% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (74 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 88%
- Replies
- 74
- 17% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 66% who raised concerns
based on the 32% who had a child bullied
based on 32 parents (43%) with SEND