School admissions policies - essential information

On this page you will find details of the policies for the admission of pupils to Schools and Academies in the Wakefield District.

Community/voluntary controlled admission policy

The Local Authority (LA) is the admission authority for all Community and Voluntary Controlled schools in Wakefield.

Copies of the Admission Arrangements for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic years can be viewed here:

• Admissions 2023/2024

Copies of the admission arrangements for 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 can be viewed in Admissions 2023/2024, 2024/25 and 2025/2026.

The respective Governing Bodies of the following academies within the Wakefield District have agreed to adopt the LA's admission policy for 2023/2024, 2024/2025, and 2025/2026.

Secondary

• Airedale Academy
• Carleton Community High School
• Crofton Academy
• De Lacy Academy
• Featherstone Academy
• Minsthorpe Community College
• The Kings School

Primary

• Ackton Pastures Primary Academy
• Airedale Infant
• Airedale Junior
• Ash Grove Academy
• Carleton Park JI
• Castleford Park Junior Academy
• Cherry Tree Academy
• Crofton Infants School
• Darrington CE Primary
• De Lacy Primary
• England Lane Academy
• Fitzwilliam Academy
• Girnhill Infant
• Grove Lea Primary School
• Half Acres Primary Academy
• Halfpenny Lane Junior and Infant School
• Horbury Bridge CE (VC) Junior and Infant Academy
• Horbury Primary Academy
• Jerry Clay Academy
• Kings Meadow Academy
• Larks Hill JI School
• Lee Brigg Infant
• Middlestown Primary Academy
• Mill Dam JI
• Normanton Common Primary
• Normanton Junior Academy
• Orchard Head JI School
• Oyster Park Primary
• Sharlston Community School
• Simpson's Lane Academy
• South Kirkby Academy
• South Hiendley Primary School
• St Botolph's CE Academy
• The Rookeries Carleton JI School
• The Vale Primary Academy
• Walton Primary Academy
• West End Academy
• Willow Green Academy
• Wrenthorpe Academy

See the LA's admissions policy for the 2025/2026, 2024/25, and 2023/2024 academic years.

Voluntary aided schools and voluntary academies

The Governing Body is responsible for admissions at Voluntary Aided schools. Details of the admissions policies for voluntary aided schools are available directly from the school.

Foundation (Trust Schools) and academies

Foundation (trust) schools and academies are their own Admissions Authority and the Governing Body sets their admissions policy.

The following schools which form part of the Education Ossett Community Trust have not adopted the LA's admissions policy and have adopted the Education Ossett Community Trust Policy:

• Dimplewell Infant School
• Flushdyke JI School
• Towngate JI School
• Southdale Junior School

The following academies within the Wakefield District have not adopted the LA's admission policy and have also adopted the Education Ossett Community Trust policy:

Ossett Academy

• Gawthorpe Academy
• South Ossett Infants' Academy
• Towngate Primary Academy

The respective Governing Bodies of the following academies within the Wakefield District have not adopted the LA's admission policy. These academies have determined their own admission policies which may differ to the LA's admissions policy:

• Castleford Academy
• Trinity Academy Cathedral
• Outwood Grange Academy
• Horbury Academy
• Outwood Academy City Fields
• Outwood Academy Freeston
• Outwood Academy Hemsworth
• Crigglestone St James CE Primary Academy
• Glasshoughton Infant Academy
• Outwood Primary Bell Lane
• Outwood Primary Academy Kirkhamgate
• Outwood Primary Academy Ledger Lane
• Outwood Primary Academy Lofthousegate
• Outwood Primary Academy Newstead Green
• Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill
• Rooks Nest Academy
• Sandal Magna Community Academy
• Stanley Grove Primary Academy
• St Michael's CE Academy
• Three Lane Ends Academy

Admission of children outside their normal age group

The Local Authority’s Admissions Policy makes provision for the admission of children outside their normal age group. This includes ‘summer born children’. A copy of the information note for parents explaining how such requests will be considered can be found in downloads.

Co-ordinated admissions policies

These documents give details of the co-ordinated admission schemes for Wakefield. These policies allow the Local Authority to co-ordinate admissions across the district.

Copies of the co-ordination policies can also be viewed in admissions policies for 2025/2026, 2024/25 and 2023/2024.

Fair access protocol

To comply with legislation Wakefield Council has a Fair Access Protocol with all the schools in the Wakefield district. This means that, in some circumstances, pupils defined in the Protocol will have a higher priority for admission than all other pupils seeking admission to that school.

Download the Fair Access Protocol

Local authority annual report to the schools adjudicator

All Local Authorities in England are required to prepare a local authority annual report which must be sent to the Schools Adjudicator by the 30 June.

This report outlines how the school admissions system has worked in their area.

Download the 2023 report