Castleford Park Junior Academy

Castleford Park Junior Academy is performing well as a good school, having maintained its status since its previous inspection in 2019. The school has a strong support system for its pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring they can access the curriculum alongside their peers. The inclusive environment and supportive relationships between staff and students contribute to a positive atmosphere where pupils feel safe and happy. Enrichment activities and proactive leadership roles offer pupils a dynamic school experience, fostering both personal development and academic achievement.

Strengths

• Pupils are proud to attend the school.
• Effective and inclusive support for SEND pupils.
• High-quality professional development for subject leaders.
• Ambitious and well-designed curriculum.
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils.
• Wide range of enrichment activities available.
• Proactive leadership roles for pupils.
• Digital leaders support younger students.
• Well-structured transition program for Year 3 pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Reading books for the most able pupils lack challenge, affecting their progress.

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 Castleford Park Junior Academy attended 95.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 1.9% of pupils at Castleford Park Junior Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No 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 Castleford Park Junior Academy had 24.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 18.4% of pupils at Castleford Park Junior Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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

In 2024–25 Castleford Park Junior Academy received £6,596 and spent £6,904 for each of its 414 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £686,000 (£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 Castleford · Wakefield local authority: places and applications

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

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

What is Castleford Park Junior Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Castleford Park Junior Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Castleford Park Junior Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Castleford Park Junior Academy was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Castleford Park Junior Academy have?

Castleford Park Junior Academy has 412 pupils on roll.

What age range does Castleford Park Junior Academy cover?

Castleford Park Junior Academy for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Castleford Park Junior Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 61% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Castleford Park Junior Academy?

Castleford Park Junior Academy is at Medley Street, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 4BB.