The Vale Primary Academy

Wakefield · WF11 8JF

General information Primary School · 3-11 years Who goes here 218 pupils, 21.1% FSM

Educational attainment Ofsted and results

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 20.2% on SEN support Behaviour 4.8% absence rate Staff 28.6% turnover Financials £7,452 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

We haven't asked this school for its behaviour and staffing figures yet. Sign up to tell us you'd like them, and we'll email you when they arrive.

Notify me

Your email address

Leave this empty

We'll email you a link to confirm first. Your address is only used for news about this school, and every email has a link to stop them. Privacy

The Vale Primary Academy

General Information

Address: Ferrybridge Road, Knottingley, WF11 8JF – View on map
Phone: 01977722485
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Sally Cartwright
Age range: 3-11 years
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

218 pupils out of 236 places

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 42
% eligible for free school meals: 21.1%
Pupil mix: 2 in 10 (less mixed than the Wakefield average)
English as an additional language: 10% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 28.6% a year (Wakefield 16.5%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 63% moved to another school, 37% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house. This is a small staff, so one or two teachers leaving moves the figure a lot.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Wakefield: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 9 (0.3 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 5 (0.2 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 2 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Wakefield, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 4.8%
Persistently absent pupils: 12.2%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 20.2%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 2.8%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 21 pupils
SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 7 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 6 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 4 pupils
Physical disability: 3 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Social, emotional and mental health: 3 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 2 pupils

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

Be the first to review — win £100 of books for your school Every honest review enters you into our prize draw

Behaviour

–

Openness

–

Teaching Quality

–

School Ethos

–

Ability to Deal with Problems

–

Headteacher Approval

–

SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

–

Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

–

Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

No overall grade given 2024 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted stopped giving single overall grades for a period between September 2024 and November 2025 - this school's most recent inspection falls in that window, so there's no single rating to show, even though it was inspected. The full report (linked below) still has the detail.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 76% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 8% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 13 percentage points above the Wakefield average (63%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well above (3-year average 76% against an expected 58%)
3-year average (expected standard): 76%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 80% · Writing 80% · Maths 80% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 72%
Average test scores: reading 104, maths 104
Based on: 25 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolWakefield averageEngland→ Broadly steady No clear rise or fall since 2022/23 (changes this small are normal from one year group to the next). In 2024/25 this school was 13 percentage points above the Wakefield average (63%).

Year 6 SATs: 28th of 98 junior and primary schools in the area

=26Grove Lea Primary School77%
=26St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Pontefract77%
#28The Vale Primary Academy76%
=29Badsworth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School73%
=29Normanton Common Primary Academy73%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1Larks Hill Primary School97%
#2Ossett Southdale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School94%
=3Halfpenny Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School93%
=3Horbury Bridge Church of England Junior and Infant Academy93%
#5Crigglestone Dane Royd Junior and Infant School91%
=6Jerry Clay Academy90%
=6Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate90%
#8Orchard Head Junior and Infant and Nursery School89%
=9Carleton Park Junior and Infant School87%
=9Stanley Grove Primary and Nursery Academy87%
=9Stanley St Peters Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School87%
#12Middlestown Primary Academy86%
=13England Lane Academy85%
=13Rooks Nest Academy85%
=15Newton Hill Community School84%
=15Simpson's Lane Academy84%
=17Normanton Junior Academy83%
=17Northfield Primary School83%
=17Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane83%
#20Outwood Primary Academy Kirkhamgate81%
=21Ackworth Howard Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School80%
=21De Lacy Primary School80%
#23St Ignatius Catholic Primary School79%
=24Horbury Primary Academy78%
=24St Giles C of E Academy78%
=26Grove Lea Primary School77%
=26St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Pontefract77%
#28The Vale Primary Academy76%
=29Badsworth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School73%
=29Normanton Common Primary Academy73%
=29Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery School73%
=29St Michael's CofE Academy73%
=29The Rookeries Carleton Junior and Infant School73%
=29West End Academy73%
#35Outwood Primary Academy Ledger Lane72%
=36Crigglestone Mackie Hill Junior and Infant School71%
=36Featherstone All Saints CofE Academy71%
=36Outwood Primary Academy Newstead Green71%
=36Walton Primary Academy71%
#40Crofton Junior School70%
=41Alverthorpe St Paul's CofE (VA) School 3-11yrs69%
=41English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy69%
#43Ackworth Mill Dam School68%
#44Sandal Magna Community Academy67%
=45Half Acres Primary Academy65%
=45Methodist Voluntary Controlled Junior, Infant and Nursery School: With Communication Resource65%
=45South Hiendley Primary School65%
=45St Botolphs CE Academy65%
=49Ackton Pastures Primary Academy64%
=49Crigglestone St James CofE Primary Academy64%
=49Darrington Church of England Primary School64%
=49Sharlston Community School64%
=53Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill63%
=53Willow Green Academy63%
=55Airedale Junior Academy62%
=55Shay Lane Primary (J and I) School62%
#57Castleford Park Junior Academy61%
=58Gawthorpe Community Academy60%
=58Ossett Flushdyke Junior and Infant School60%
=58Ossett South Parade Primary60%
=58Wakefield Pinders Primary (JIN) School60%
#62Wrenthorpe Academy59%
=63Sitlington Netherton Junior and Infant School58%
=63St Helen's CE Primary School58%
=65Outwood Primary Academy Greenhill57%
=65Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School57%
#67The Mount Junior Infant & Nursery School56%
#68St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Moorthorpe55%
=69Ossett Holy Trinity CofE VA Primary School53%
=69Wakefield Flanshaw Junior and Infant School53%
=69Wakefield Lawefield Primary School53%
=72Horbury St Peter's and Clifton CofE (VC) Primary School52%
=72St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Castleford52%
=74Hendal Primary School51%
=74South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant School51%
=74St Austin's Catholic Primary School51%
=77Fitzwilliam Primary School50%
=77West Bretton Junior and Infant School50%
=79Cherry Tree Academy49%
=79Towngate Primary Academy49%
=79Wakefield Snapethorpe Primary School49%
=82Ash Grove Primary Academy48%
=82St. John the Baptist Catholic Primary School48%
=82Wakefield St Johns Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant School48%
#85Upton Primary School47%
#86Featherstone Purston St Thomas Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School46%
=87King's Meadow Academy45%
=87Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School45%
#89Oyster Park Primary Academy43%
=90Castleford Three Lane Ends Academy42%
=90Featherstone North Featherstone Junior and Infant School42%
#92Streethouse Junior, Infant and Nursery School40%
#93Newlands Primary School38%
=94Holy Family and St Michael's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy35%
=94Moorthorpe Primary School With Inclusion Resource35%
#96South Kirkby Academy32%
=97Fairburn View Primary School, Castleford30%
=97Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School30%

View full Ofsted inspection report

Financials

Spending per pupil: £7,452 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

4th of 92 primary schools in Wakefield for spending per pupil

#2Newlands Primary School£7,930
#3Ossett Flushdyke Junior and Infant School£7,616
#4The Vale Primary Academy£7,452
#5Fairburn View Primary School, Castleford£7,354
#6Wakefield Flanshaw Junior and Infant School£7,351

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Streethouse Junior, Infant and Nursery School£9,878
#2Newlands Primary School£7,930
#3Ossett Flushdyke Junior and Infant School£7,616
#4The Vale Primary Academy£7,452
#5Fairburn View Primary School, Castleford£7,354
#6Wakefield Flanshaw Junior and Infant School£7,351
#7Crigglestone Mackie Hill Junior and Infant School£7,316
#8King's Meadow Academy£7,305
#9Moorthorpe Primary School With Inclusion Resource£7,268
#10Wakefield Snapethorpe Primary School£7,226
#11West Bretton Junior and Infant School£7,155
#12St Helen's CE Primary School£7,039
#13St Ignatius Catholic Primary School£7,032
#14Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£7,013
#15Horbury Bridge Church of England Junior and Infant Academy£7,008
#16Holy Family and St Michael's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy£6,995
#17The Mount Junior Infant & Nursery School£6,941
#18Outwood Primary Academy Newstead Green£6,921
#19Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School£6,881
#20St Botolphs CE Academy£6,854
#21Crigglestone Dane Royd Junior and Infant School£6,839
#22Alverthorpe St Paul's CofE (VA) School 3-11yrs£6,780
#23Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery School£6,774
#24Outwood Primary Academy Greenhill£6,760
#25Wakefield Pinders Primary (JIN) School£6,694
#26Featherstone North Featherstone Junior and Infant School£6,683
#27Hendal Primary School£6,683
#28Horbury St Peter's and Clifton CofE (VC) Primary School£6,654
#29Methodist Voluntary Controlled Junior, Infant and Nursery School: With Communication Resource£6,652
#30South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant School£6,641
#31Cherry Tree Academy£6,593
#32Darrington Church of England Primary School£6,565
#33Upton Primary School£6,555
#34Simpson's Lane Academy£6,497
#35Shay Lane Primary (J and I) School£6,495
#36St Michael's CofE Academy£6,491
#37Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane£6,477
#38Sitlington Netherton Junior and Infant School£6,446
#39Stanley St Peters Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£6,444
#40Featherstone All Saints CofE Academy£6,433
#41Fitzwilliam Primary School£6,430
#42St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Moorthorpe£6,426
#43Sandal Magna Community Academy£6,397
#44Ash Grove Primary Academy£6,395
#45South Hiendley Primary School£6,384
#46England Lane Academy£6,357
#47Crigglestone St James CofE Primary Academy£6,279
#48Willow Green Academy£6,265
#49Wakefield Lawefield Primary School£6,262
#50St Giles C of E Academy£6,257
#51Ossett South Parade Primary£6,253
#52English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy£6,241
#53The Rookeries Carleton Junior and Infant School£6,239
#54Rooks Nest Academy£6,236
#55Wakefield St Johns Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant School£6,207
#56De Lacy Primary School£6,200
#57West End Academy£6,169
#58Gawthorpe Community Academy£6,152
#59Grove Lea Primary School£6,108
#60St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Pontefract£6,054
#61Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School£6,013
#62Badsworth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School£6,012
#63Carleton Park Junior and Infant School£6,000
#64Horbury Primary Academy£5,964
#65Ackworth Howard Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School£5,950
#66Ossett Holy Trinity CofE VA Primary School£5,928
#67Jerry Clay Academy£5,901
#68Ackworth Mill Dam School£5,883
#69St. John the Baptist Catholic Primary School£5,860
#70Castleford Three Lane Ends Academy£5,844
#71Stanley Grove Primary and Nursery Academy£5,839
#72Walton Primary Academy£5,836
#73Middlestown Primary Academy£5,782
#74Normanton Common Primary Academy£5,757
#75Northfield Primary School£5,750
#76St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Castleford£5,705
#77Outwood Primary Academy Kirkhamgate£5,704
#78St Austin's Catholic Primary School£5,687
#79Sharlston Community School£5,684
#80Ackton Pastures Primary Academy£5,628
#81Larks Hill Primary School£5,624
#82Orchard Head Junior and Infant and Nursery School£5,584
#83Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate£5,581
#84Newton Hill Community School£5,570
#85Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill£5,556
#86Halfpenny Lane Junior Infant and Nursery School£5,544
#87Towngate Primary Academy£5,534
#88Half Acres Primary Academy£5,447
#89Outwood Primary Academy Ledger Lane£5,419
#90Wrenthorpe Academy£5,376
#91Oyster Park Primary Academy£4,810
#92Smawthorne Henry Moore Academy£3,696

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

Have you rated The Vale Primary Academy yet? Your experience helps other parents.

Rate this school