Crofton Academy

Crofton Academy has seen significant improvement since its last inspection, with a current overall effectiveness rating of 'good.' The school has raised expectations for both behavior and academic achievement, resulting in pupils reaching higher standards and examination outcomes that align with national averages. The school has made efforts to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum that supports pupils, and there is a calm atmosphere with good behavior observed among students.

Strengths

• Pupils’ academic achievements have significantly improved since the last inspection.
• Behavior in lessons and around the school is calm and rarely disrupted.
• High levels of respect are evident among pupils and between pupils and staff.
• Attendance is above the national average.
• The school effectively includes pupils with visual impairments in school life.
• Teachers receive high-quality professional development.
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs and societies.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teaching approaches do not always support the most able or those who find learning difficult as effectively as they could.
• Leaders have not fully evaluated the impact of changes made in the school.

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 Academy attended 89.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 27.1% 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, 7.7% of pupils at Crofton Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Crofton Academy had 18.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.0% 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, 13.7% of pupils at Crofton Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 6.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 8 pupils.

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 2024–25 Crofton Academy received £7,962 and spent £8,136 for each of its 1,061 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,757,000 (£1,656 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of Castleford Academy Trust, income was £6,619 and spending £6,965 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Wakefield · Wakefield local authority: places and applications

Crofton Academy is part of Castleford Academy Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• Castleford Three Lane Ends Academy Castleford
• Glasshoughton Infant Academy Castleford
• Castleford Park Junior Academy Castleford
• Castleford Academy Castleford
• Airedale Infant Academy Castleford
• Airedale Junior Academy Castleford
• Airedale Academy Castleford
• Oyster Park Primary Academy Castleford

What is Crofton Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Crofton Academy is Good, from an inspection in September 2023.

When was Crofton Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Crofton Academy was last inspected in September 2023.

How many pupils does Crofton Academy have?

Crofton Academy has 1,045 pupils on roll.

What age range does Crofton Academy cover?

Crofton Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Crofton Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 49.3, and 48% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Crofton Academy?

Crofton Academy is at High Street, Crofton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 1NF.