Schools by area › Wakefield › Ark Orchard Head Primary School
Ark Orchard Head Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Academy
Orchard Head Lane, Pontefract WF8 2NJ · arkorchardhead.org.uk · 01977 723495
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Nov 2019
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 89%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Wakefield 63%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 1.2
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 335
- 20 over 315 places · 106%
- Local authority
- Wakefield
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 23.1%
- First language not English
- 4.8%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Ark Schools
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 55 families put the school first and 45 places were offered; 82% 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 | 45 | 55 | 1.2▲ | 82% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 42 | 60 | 1.4▲ | 65% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 42 | 41 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 44 | 49 | 1.1▲ | 84% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 45 | 54 | 1.2▲ | 81% |
Results
In 2024/25, 89% 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 | |||
| ▲89% | 62% | ||
| ▲26% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲109 | 106 | ||
| ▲112 | 105 | ||
| ▲112 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ark Orchard Head Primary School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 7 November 2019, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework. An ungraded inspection in Mar 2025 found: Improved significantly.
- Outcome
- Improved significantly
- Inspected
- 11 Mar 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Nov 2019
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2019Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Feb 2019Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective Mar 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Outstanding Mar 2012Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good
What parents said
90% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (49 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 90%
- Replies
- 49
- 14% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 78% who raised concerns
based on the 33% who had a child bullied