School Context Comparator

Exam results say a lot about a school's pupils, not just its teaching. A school where many children are disadvantaged or have special educational needs will usually have lower results, even if it's doing a great job. This compares each school with what you'd expect from the pupils it teaches.

Primary and junior schools in Wakefield: SATs results in context

% meeting the expected standard, average of the three years to 2024/25. Each numbered dot is a school (see the table below). Above the line means better results than you'd expect from its pupils; the shaded strip is "about what you'd expect".

  • Better than expected
  • About as expected
  • Below expected

The faint grey dots behind are every other school in England, for comparison.

Outlined in black: the school you compared (marked "Compared" in the table).

Green ring: low teacher turnover – among the quarter of similar schools in England where teachers are most likely to stay (three-year average).

3030404050506060707080809090100100Better than expectedBelow expectedExpected % (from the school's pupils)Actual % meeting the expected standard12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455565758596061626364656667686970717273747576777879808182838485868788899091929394959697
3030404050506060707080809090100100Better than expectedBelow expectedExpected %Actual % meeting the expected standard12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455565758596061626364656667686970717273747576777879808182838485868788899091929394959697

Loading stats for 13,485 schools across England…

Did you know? In a class of 30, one child moves a school's SATs percentage by more than 3 points - which is why we use a three-year average. How this works

How each school compares

# School Compared with what you'd expect Actual Expected Gap Disadvantaged SEN EAL Pupils(3 years) Teacher turnover(a year)
1 Halfpenny Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School Well above 90% 60% +30.2 40% 19% 7% 178 26%high
2 Simpson's Lane Academy Well above 79% 50% +28.8 75% 25% 9% 148 25%high
3 Larks Hill Primary School Well above 94% 66% +27.7 13% 17% 0% 88 24%
4 Carleton Park Junior and Infant School Well above 92% 65% +27.2 23% 17% 13% 91 18%
5 The Rookeries Carleton Junior and Infant School Well above 80% 56% +23.9 36% 39% 9% 128 14%below average
6 West End Academy Well above 81% 59% +21.9 38% 23% 4% 77 14%
7 De Lacy Primary School Well above 78% 57% +21.0 55% 16% 7% 130 11%below average
8 Horbury Bridge Church of England Junior and Infant Academy Well above 91% 70% +20.7 0% 13% 0% 44 11%
9 Ossett Southdale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School Well above 88% 68% +20.5 10% 16% 4% 256 21%high
10 Rooks Nest Academy Well above 85% 65% +19.8 22% 15% 9% 136 9%low
11 The Vale Primary Academy Well above 76% 58% +18.4 44% 28% 20% 82 29%
12 St Michael's CofE Academy Well above 75% 57% +17.6 48% 28% 30% 181 26%high
13 St Giles C of E Academy Well above 78% 61% +17.5 31% 24% 4% 132 7%low
14 Jerry Clay Academy Well above 87% 71% +16.4 13% 3% 13% 89 7%
15 Stanley St Peters Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Well above 76% 60% +16.1 28% 30% 6% 135 14%above average
16 Featherstone All Saints CofE Academy Well above 71% 55% +15.6 32% 43% 0% 86 26%
17 Outwood Primary Academy Kirkhamgate Well above 80% 64% +15.6 26% 15% 11% 81 19%
18 England Lane Academy Well above 66% 51% +15.4 77% 23% 15% 76 13%
19 Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane Well above 83% 68% +15.2 15% 10% 5% 124 20%high
20 Orchard Head Junior and Infant and Nursery School Well above 80% 66% +14.3 20% 15% 9% 133 25%high
21 Ossett Flushdyke Junior and Infant School Above 80% 67% +12.8 13% 13% 0% 45 0%
22 Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate Well above 82% 69% +12.8 10% 10% 7% 180 19%above average
23 Middlestown Primary Academy Well above 79% 66% +12.6 18% 14% 9% 70 18%
24 St Botolphs CE Academy Well above 69% 57% +12.3 40% 30% 0% 129 27%high
25 Stanley Grove Primary and Nursery Academy Above 75% 64% +10.9 20% 23% 13% 87 11%
26 Grove Lea Primary School Above 73% 63% +10.5 37% 13% 13% 89 14%
27 Crigglestone Dane Royd Junior and Infant School Above 77% 67% +9.6 18% 9% 5% 133 6%low
28 English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy Above 66% 57% +9.3 38% 38% 21% 89 21%high
29 Newton Hill Community School Above 76% 67% +9.3 16% 16% 13% 91 1%low
30 Normanton Junior Academy Above 71% 63% +8.3 30% 18% 10% 266 16%above average
31 Outwood Primary Academy Ledger Lane Above 72% 64% +7.6 26% 15% 11% 166 18%above average
32 Horbury Primary Academy Above 71% 64% +7.4 23% 18% 0% 178 9%low
33 Outwood Primary Academy Newstead Green Above 64% 57% +7.3 42% 33% 17% 76 25%
34 Badsworth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School Above 69% 62% +6.8 30% 17% 0% 87 4%
35 Normanton Common Primary Academy Above 71% 64% +6.8 27% 16% 14% 131 16%above average
36 Willow Green Academy Above 67% 61% +6.0 40% 13% 3% 90 26%
37 Castleford Park Junior Academy Above 63% 57% +5.6 30% 38% 4% 305 7%low
38 South Hiendley Primary School Above 67% 62% +5.5 35% 15% 0% 75 19%
39 Ackworth Howard Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School Above 75% 70% +4.9 7% 7% 0% 89 10%below average
40 Walton Primary Academy As expected 69% 65% +4.2 12% 24% 0% 132 15%above average
41 Oyster Park Primary Academy As expected 52% 48% +3.9 63% 44% 4% 149 8%low
42 Ackworth Mill Dam School As expected 66% 64% +1.8 28% 12% 4% 67 14%
43 Crofton Junior School As expected 66% 64% +1.8 25% 15% 5% 177 19%above average
44 Ossett South Parade Primary As expected 60% 59% +1.5 29% 33% 0% 179 4%low
45 St Helen's CE Primary School As expected 55% 54% +1.5 52% 32% 3% 105 16%above average
46 Shay Lane Primary (J and I) School As expected 60% 59% +1.2 38% 24% 3% 82 8%
47 Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill As expected 64% 63% +1.1 49% 10% 49% 193 31%high
48 Alverthorpe St Paul's CofE (VA) School 3-11yrs As expected 65% 65% +0.4 14% 28% 17% 108 30%high
49 Gawthorpe Community Academy As expected 61% 61% +0.0 33% 20% 3% 90 33%
50 Ossett Holy Trinity CofE VA Primary School As expected 64% 64% −0.4 24% 16% 7% 135 17%above average
51 Ackton Pastures Primary Academy As expected 60% 61% −0.5 29% 27% 7% 133 15%above average
52 Towngate Primary Academy As expected 64% 65% −0.5 27% 15% 15% 132 28%high
53 Half Acres Primary Academy As expected 58% 59% −0.6 26% 39% 11% 149 19%above average
54 Sharlston Community School As expected 61% 62% −0.6 34% 16% 2% 122 17%above average
55 Crigglestone Mackie Hill Junior and Infant School As expected 56% 57% −0.7 42% 33% 17% 82 23%high
56 Sandal Magna Community Academy As expected 64% 65% −0.9 43% 20% 90% 87 14%above average
57 Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery School As expected 63% 64% −1.1 30% 10% 3% 88 0%
58 St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Pontefract As expected 67% 69% −2.4 10% 13% 20% 91 11%
59 Outwood Primary Academy Greenhill As expected 66% 70% −3.5 27% 10% 67% 90 38%high
60 Darrington Church of England Primary School As expected 63% 67% −3.7 14% 14% 0% 41 19%
61 Hendal Primary School As expected 53% 57% −3.9 40% 36% 23% 161 9%low
62 Sitlington Netherton Junior and Infant School As expected 59% 63% −4.1 35% 12% 12% 79 8%
63 Wrenthorpe Academy Below 59% 64% −5.0 20% 20% 2% 133 30%high
64 St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Castleford Below 61% 67% −5.5 10% 24% 17% 89 20%
65 Upton Primary School Below 49% 55% −6.4 43% 33% 2% 173 2%low
66 The Mount Junior Infant & Nursery School Below 53% 60% −6.8 32% 29% 14% 87 0%
67 Horbury St Peter's and Clifton CofE (VC) Primary School Below 55% 63% −7.7 26% 22% 10% 174 15%above average
68 Wakefield Lawefield Primary School Below 55% 63% −8.4 41% 19% 59% 170 17%above average
69 St Ignatius Catholic Primary School Below 58% 67% −8.6 14% 21% 21% 52 34%
70 St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Moorthorpe Below 56% 65% −8.8 38% 10% 38% 89 34%
71 Methodist Voluntary Controlled Junior, Infant and Nursery School: With Communication Resource Below 54% 63% −8.9 21% 29% 21% 97 7%
72 Castleford Three Lane Ends Academy Below 51% 60% −9.1 39% 20% 10% 163 19%above average
73 Ash Grove Primary Academy Below 52% 61% −9.3 39% 17% 17% 122 30%high
74 Airedale Junior Academy Below 46% 56% −9.5 48% 28% 3% 304 17%above average
75 Fairburn View Primary School, Castleford Below 44% 54% −9.5 58% 27% 5% 178 8%low
76 Wakefield Snapethorpe Primary School Below 45% 55% −9.7 55% 30% 22% 266 14%below average
77 West Bretton Junior and Infant School Below 56% 67% −11.4 0% 25% 0% 39 26%
78 Crigglestone St James CofE Primary Academy Well below 56% 68% −11.5 16% 11% 7% 135 21%high
79 Featherstone North Featherstone Junior and Infant School Well below 47% 59% −11.5 38% 27% 9% 135 27%high
80 St. John the Baptist Catholic Primary School Well below 55% 67% −12.0 14% 17% 14% 89 19%
81 South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant School Well below 46% 59% −12.7 51% 15% 14% 173 7%low
82 Holy Family and St Michael's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy Well below 47% 60% −12.9 38% 23% 15% 85 9%
83 Wakefield St Johns Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant School Well below 53% 67% −13.9 13% 23% 29% 91 18%
84 Moorthorpe Primary School With Inclusion Resource Well below 41% 55% −14.3 58% 21% 10% 128 24%high
85 Wakefield Pinders Primary (JIN) School Well below 51% 66% −14.6 23% 23% 44% 134 13%below average
86 Cherry Tree Academy Compared Well below 39% 54% −15.2 58% 23% 2% 128 32%high
87 Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School Well below 45% 60% −15.3 33% 32% 34% 263 17%above average
88 King's Meadow Academy Well below 39% 55% −15.6 52% 34% 24% 109 20%high
89 Wakefield Flanshaw Junior and Infant School Well below 45% 61% −16.0 39% 27% 47% 149 11%below average
90 St Austin's Catholic Primary School Well below 55% 71% −16.4 20% 13% 80% 137 13%below average
91 Newlands Primary School Well below 35% 52% −16.5 62% 36% 21% 113 14%above average
92 Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Well below 44% 61% −16.7 35% 22% 13% 64 19%
93 Featherstone Purston St Thomas Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School Well below 44% 62% −17.6 37% 16% 12% 251 29%high
94 Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Well below 45% 64% −19.4 43% 17% 73% 89 10%below average
95 Fitzwilliam Primary School Well below 36% 58% −22.4 43% 21% 4% 88 32%
96 South Kirkby Academy Well below 35% 58% −22.7 52% 17% 10% 168 14%
97 Streethouse Junior, Infant and Nursery School Well below 34% 59% −25.0 33% 33% 20% 47 9%

Results are the average of the last three Year 6 groups, which is steadier than a single year. Pupil percentages are for the latest Year 6. Disadvantaged: eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years, or looked after by the council. SEN: special educational needs (SEN support or an EHC plan). EAL: English as an additional language.

How this works

We looked at every comparable state primary and junior school in England (14,315 schools) to see how SATs results usually change with the make-up of a year group. On average:

  • For every 10 more disadvantaged pupils in every 100, the share meeting the expected standard is about 2.4 percentage points lower.
  • For every 10 more pupils with SEN in every 100, it's about 2.4 percentage points lower.
  • For every 10 more pupils with English as an additional language in every 100, it's about 0.7 percentage points higher. Pupils learning English often catch up quickly.

From those, each school gets an expected result for its own pupils, which we compare with its actual result. Primary year groups are small – in a class of 30, one child moves the percentage by more than 3 points – so we use the three-year average and allow for each school's own pupil numbers: a small school needs a bigger gap before we call it above or below what you'd expect.

What we found: schools where teachers stay

We put every primary and junior school's result-against-expected next to its teacher turnover – the share of its teachers who moved to another school or left state schools each year, averaged over three years (DfE school workforce census). Across 8,274 schools in England, split into four equal groups by turnover:

Teacher turnoverTypical turnoverResults vs expectedDid better than expected
Lowest turnover 7% a year +1.8 pts 40%
Lower-middle 12% a year +1.2 pts 37%
Upper-middle 17% a year +0.7 pts 36%
Highest turnover 26% a year −1.2 pts 32%

The pattern is the same as for secondary schools but weaker, and most of the difference is in the quarter of schools where teachers leave most often (−1.2 percentage points, against +1.8 for the lowest-turnover quarter). Primary staffs are small and SATs results move around from year to year, which blurs the picture.

A link isn't proof that one causes the other: losing teachers may hold results back, and a school that's struggling for other reasons (leadership, for example) may also lose more teachers. Nationally, turnover is fairly steady from year to year and teachers who move are replaced – but between schools it varies a lot, from under one teacher in ten a year to more than one in five. The green rings on the chart mark the lowest-turnover quarter.

What it can't tell you

  • These three things explain only about 18% of the differences between schools. Much of what makes a school stronger or weaker, and much about its pupils, isn't captured by any published figure.
  • Even averaged over three years, small schools' results move around a lot, so treat close calls as roughly equal.
  • It isn't an excuse for lower results. It shows how a school does compared with schools teaching similar pupils, so you can compare more fairly.
  • We deliberately don't adjust for attendance or exclusions: those are partly down to the school itself.

Source: Department for Education, Key Stage 2 performance data (2024/25). Calculated by The School Companion.