Crofton Junior School
Crofton Junior School is a community school in Wakefield for pupils aged 7 to 11. It has 231 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Crofton Junior School is Good, from an inspection in September 2023. In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Ofsted inspection: September 2023. KS2 results: 2025.
| Type | Primary / Community school |
| Age Range | 7-11 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Slack Lane Crofton Wakefield West Yorkshire WF4 1HJ |
| Phone | 01924863981 |
| Reference Number | 108141 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 231 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 51.08%
Girls: 48.92% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 25.5% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 3.9% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 29.6 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 29.6 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 28 | 25 | 53 |
| 4 | 28 | 29 | 57 |
| 5 | 33 | 28 | 61 |
| 6 | 29 | 31 | 60 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 91.3% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.6% |
| White, Other | 1.7% |
| African | 1.3% |
| White & Asian | 0.9% |
| Asian, Other | 0.9% |
| Chinese | 0.4% |
Crofton Junior School has demonstrated consistent performance and remains classified as a good school. The recent inspection highlights the school’s potential for achieving an outstanding rating in future assessments due to evident improvements in areas such as curriculum delivery and pupil engagement. The school fosters a positive and inclusive environment where values of respect, nurture, and inspiration are deeply embedded in the culture, contributing to high levels of pupil happiness and skill development. Notable support is provided for pupils with special educational needs, ensuring all students have the opportunity to succeed academically and socially.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 03 Jul 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 03 Jul 2023 | School inspection |
| 10 Jan 2018 | Short inspection |
| 21 May 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 07 Jan 2011 | Interim assessment |
| 19 Nov 2009 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 12 Nov 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 19 Nov 2002 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- High expectations for pupil learning and behaviour
- Effective and engaging curriculum enabling all pupils to succeed
- Strong focus on reading and phonics with well-trained staff
- Exciting, ambitious extracurricular opportunities for pupils
- Strong culture of safeguarding and effective communication within the school
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 70% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 5% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 105 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 105 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | -2.8 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Writing | -1.6 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | -3.8 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
UnlockUnlock Premium
See how Crofton Junior School ranks locally and nationally. Percentile rankings against every other school, historic result charts, admissions data and post-GCSE destinations are all included.
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Unlock for £9.99Places and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Crofton Junior School had 235 pupils for 240 places. 5 places (2.1%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Crofton Pyramid Primary” planning area
Wakefield counted 165 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 134 in 2029–30, down 19%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 210 | 210 | 210 | 220 | 220 | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 |
| Pupils | 212 | 201 | 195 | 209 | 218 | 235 | 236 | 237 | 239 | 237 | 237 | 224 | 231 | 237 | 235 |
| Unfilled | 0.0% | 4.3% | 7.1% | 5.0% | 0.9% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 0.4% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 6.7% | 3.8% | 1.2% | 2.1% |
Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.
In 2024–25 pupils at Crofton Junior School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 3.2% | 3.5% | 2.9% | 2.7% | 2.8% | 2.4% | 4.2% | 5.1% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 3.3% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.8% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 0.8% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.
In 2024–25, 0.9% of pupils at Crofton Junior School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.9 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.
In 2025–26 Crofton Junior School had 20.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 35.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 13.5 | 13.4 | 11.8 | 12.3 | 14.7 | 11.5 | 11.6 | 14.1 | 11.9 | 9.5 | 10.3 | 9.6 | 10.4 | 11.5 | 11.3 | 12.1 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 0.0% | 11.0% | 0.0% | 1.9% | 5.8% | 23.9% | 9.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 15.3% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 10.0% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 0.0% | 18.8% | 12.5% | 27.3% | 45.5% | 50.0% | – | 28.6% | 57.1% | 30.8% | 50.0% | 41.2% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 2.9 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 13.2 | 1.4 | 1.3 | – | 0.6 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.1 | – |
Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.
In 2025–26, 16.5% of pupils at Crofton Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 15 | 3 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 12 | 2 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 3 | 4 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 3 | 1 |
| No specialist assessment of need | 2 | 0 |
| Physical disability | 1 | 0 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 1 | 0 |
| Vision impairment | 1 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.
In 2025–26 Crofton Junior School received £6,611 and spent £6,522 for each of its 231 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £94,000 (£405 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £36,000 | £93,000 | £111,000 | £139,000 | £99,000 | £57,000 | £73,000 | £94,000 |
| per pupil | £153 | £391 | £472 | £627 | £434 | £243 | £311 | £405 |
| In-year balance | -£17,000 | £57,000 | £18,000 | £28,000 | -£40,000 | -£42,000 | £16,000 | £20,000 |
| per pupil | -£73 | £239 | £77 | £128 | -£176 | -£178 | £68 | £88 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Crofton Infant School
High Street, Crofton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 1NG |
0.11 miles |
|
Shay Lane Primary (J and I) School
Shay Lane, Crofton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 1NN |
0.4 miles |
|
Hammer Lane Academy
Hammer Lane, Sharlston, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 1DH |
1.16 miles |
|
Sharlston Community School
Hammer Lane, Sharlston Common, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 1DH |
1.16 miles |
|
Streethouse Junior, Infant and Nursery School
Whinney Lane, Streethouse, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF7 6DJ |
1.59 miles |
|
Walton Primary Academy
The Grove, Walton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF2 6LD |
1.63 miles |
|
Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery School
Chapel Street, Ryhill, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 2AD |
2.31 miles |
|
Sandal Magna Community Academy
Belle Vue Road, Agbrigg, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 5NF |
2.42 miles |
|
Fitzwilliam Primary School
Second Avenue, Pontefract, WF9 5BA |
2.44 miles |
|
Newlands Primary School
Wakefield Road, Normanton, West Yorkshire, WF6 1BB |
2.45 miles |
|
Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School
Barnsley Road, Wakefield, WF2 6AS |
2.45 miles |
|
The Castle Nursery School
255A Barnsley Road, Wakefield, WF1 5NU |
2.49 miles |
|
Outwood Primary Academy Newstead Green
Cow Lane, Wakefield, WF4 2BE |
2.51 miles |
|
Featherstone Girnhill Infant School
Hardwick Road, Featherstone, Girnhill Infant School, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF7 5JB |
2.8 miles |
|
Normanton Junior Academy
Church Lane, Normanton, West Yorkshire, WF6 1EY |
2.81 miles |
|
King's Meadow Academy
Wakefield Road, Pontefract, WF9 5BP |
2.84 miles |
|
Normanton All Saints CofE Infant School
High Street, Normanton, West Yorkshire, WF6 1NR |
2.93 miles |
|
Featherstone Purston St Thomas Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School
George Street, Featherstone, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF7 5BG |
2.99 miles |
|
St. John the Baptist Catholic Primary School
Beckbridge Lane, Normanton, West Yorkshire, WF6 2HZ |
3 miles |
|
Wakefield St Marys Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Charles Street, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 4PE |
3.01 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Crofton Academy
High Street, Crofton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 1NF |
0.16 miles |
|
Wragby School
The Oswald Building, Wragby School, Doncaster Road, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 1QG |
1.66 miles |
|
St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy
Barnsley Road, Wakefield, WF2 6EQ |
2.38 miles |
|
Outwood Academy Freeston
Favell Avenue, Normanton, WF6 1HZ |
2.69 miles |
|
Outwood Academy City Fields
Warmfield View, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 4SF |
3.01 miles |
|
Kettlethorpe High School
Kettlethorpe Hall Drive, Standbridge Lane, Sandal, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF2 7EL |
3.04 miles |
|
Ivy Lane School
Ivy Lane School, Ivy Lane, Wakefield, WF1 4AZ |
3.31 miles |
|
CAPA College
Mulberry Way, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 2QN |
3.58 miles |
|
The Featherstone Academy
Pontefract Road, Featherstone, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF7 5AJ |
3.66 miles |
|
Meadowcroft School
24 Bar Lane, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 4AD |
3.73 miles |
|
Ackworth School
Pontefract Road, West Yorkshire, WF7 7LT |
3.78 miles |
|
Queen Elizabeths School Wakefield
154 Northgate, Wakefield, WF1 3QX |
3.79 miles |
|
Trinity Academy Cathedral
Thornes Road, Wakefield, WF2 8QF |
3.79 miles |
|
St Wilfrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form College: A Voluntary Academy
Cutsyke Road, Featherstone, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF7 6BD |
3.8 miles |
|
Heart of Yorkshire Education Group
Margaret Street, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 2DH |
3.87 miles |
|
Oakfield Park School
Barnsley Road, Ackworth, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF7 7DT |
3.92 miles |
|
Outwood Academy Hemsworth
Wakefield Road, Pontefract, WF9 4AB |
4.19 miles |
|
New College Pontefract
Park Lane, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF8 4QR |
4.82 miles |
|
Ark The King's School
Mill Hill Lane, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF8 4JF |
4.83 miles |
|
Outwood Academy Carlton
Royston Lane, Carlton, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S71 3EW |
4.84 miles |
All schools in Wakefield · Wakefield local authority: places and applications
What is Crofton Junior School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Crofton Junior School is Good, from an inspection in September 2023.
When was Crofton Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?
Crofton Junior School was last inspected in September 2023.
How many pupils does Crofton Junior School have?
Crofton Junior School has 231 pupils on roll.
What age range does Crofton Junior School cover?
Crofton Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.
What are Crofton Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?
In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Where is Crofton Junior School?
Crofton Junior School is at Slack Lane, Crofton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 1HJ.