Kettlethorpe High School

Kettlethorpe High School is a large secondary school with 1,672 pupils, close-to-average free school meal eligibility and an above-average level of location deprivation. Safeguarding standards are met, and the school has notable strengths in personal development and wellbeing: pupils benefit from a comprehensive PSHE programme, strong pastoral care, a wide range of extracurricular activities, effective careers guidance and positive relationships with staff. Pupils typically behave well, feel safe, and are well supported to develop a sense of belonging. However, the inspection found several important areas where the school is not yet performing at the expected standard, especially for disadvantaged pupils and some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Disadvantaged pupils' achievement in key stage 4 has declined and is below national averages, and their attendance, along with that of some pupils with SEND, is also below average. Pupils with SEND make variable progress, partly because leaders have not identified learning needs in a timely or precise enough way, and teachers do not consistently adapt their teaching to meet individual needs. The school has recently undergone significant leadership and governance changes. New leaders understand the school's strengths and priorities, and recent actions are beginning to have a positive impact, but they have not yet been swift or rigorous enough to resolve low attendance and gaps in learning support. The next steps rightly focus on identifying needs more precisely, giving staff the right strategies, improving attendance, adapting teaching, and raising disadvantaged pupils' attainment at key stage 4.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture and concerns actively identified and managed.
• Personal development and wellbeing provision is comprehensive, coherent and well sequenced.
• Pupils learn about relationships, equality, diversity, British values and online safety.
• Strong pastoral support meets individual needs, including counselling and check-ins for vulnerable pupils.
• Pupils have access to a wide range of enriching extracurricular activities, visits and leadership roles.
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND are included in the school's wider opportunities.
• Careers information, education and guidance are effective, including work experience and individual advice.
• Pupils typically behave well, follow clear routines and show kindness and respect.
• Bullying and discriminatory behaviour are dealt with effectively.
• The curriculum is broad and ambitious, with academic and vocational courses at key stage 4.
• Reading is prioritised, including a phonics programme and structured tutor-time reading.
• Teachers have secure subject knowledge and generally teach well, revisiting prior learning and checking understanding.
• Governance fulfils statutory responsibilities and provides suitable strategic oversight.
• Leaders prioritise staff workload and wellbeing, and staff value the professional development they receive.

Areas for Improvement

• Disadvantaged pupils' achievement in key stage 4 examinations has declined and is below national averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8 and Attainment 8 are below national averages, with a large disadvantage gap.
• Pupils with SEND make variable progress, and some do not receive the specific support they need.
• The attendance of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND is below the national average.
• Leaders' attendance strategy is recent, and overall impact is not yet significant.
• Teachers do not consistently adapt their teaching to meet pupils' needs, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Leaders have not identified and assessed pupils' learning needs in a timely or precise enough manner.
• Staff are not always given the information they need to meet pupils' specific needs.
• Leadership actions have not been swift or effective enough to address low attendance and learning needs.
• Some parents and carers are not fully supportive, and leaders still need to gain their full confidence.
• The school uses five alternative provisions, including one that is unregistered.

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 Kettlethorpe High School attended 88.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 27.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

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, 11.0% of pupils at Kettlethorpe High School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 12 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

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 Kettlethorpe High School had 17.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 21.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

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, 12.7% of pupils at Kettlethorpe High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Kettlethorpe High School received £8,178 and spent £7,962 for each of its 1,616 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,653,000 (£1,023 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

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What is Kettlethorpe High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Kettlethorpe High School is Needs attention, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Kettlethorpe High School last inspected by Ofsted?

Kettlethorpe High School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Kettlethorpe High School have?

Kettlethorpe High School has 1,616 pupils on roll.

What age range does Kettlethorpe High School cover?

Kettlethorpe High School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Kettlethorpe High School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.8, and 57% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Kettlethorpe High School?

Kettlethorpe High School is at Kettlethorpe Hall Drive, Standbridge Lane, Sandal, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF2 7EL.