Airedale Junior Academy

Airedale Junior School continues to be recognized as a good school, demonstrating strong leadership under the new headteacher who began in September 2022. The school has effectively redesigned its curriculum with a focus on students' welfare, promoting respectful relationships and ensuring that pupils feel safe and happy. Although standards are rising, particularly in foundational skills such as reading, some curricular areas still need development, particularly in music, languages, and design and technology where teacher confidence and knowledge vary. The implementation of an ambitious curriculum has prioritized essential skills while addressing teachers' workloads. Leaders proactively identify pupils needing additional support, particularly in reading, and provide resources that aid all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Overall, pupils are thriving with a strong emphasis on their wider development and well-being, although ongoing training for staff in specific subjects will enhance the school's performance further.

Strengths

• Respectful relationships contribute to a positive school environment.
• Strong leadership effectively addresses teacher workload and curriculum design.
• Rising standards in pupils' learning and behavior.
• Proactive support for pupils needing assistance, particularly in reading.
• Inclusive practices ensure SEND students participate fully in lessons.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistency in teachers' subject and pedagogical knowledge in design and technology, music, and languages.

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 Airedale Junior Academy attended 93.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.0% 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, 2.1% of pupils at Airedale 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 Airedale Junior Academy had 23.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 28.7% 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, 24.4% of pupils at Airedale Junior Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.5% 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 2023–24 Airedale Junior Academy received £6,458 and spent £6,871 for each of its 386 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £812,000 (£2,104 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of Castleford Academy Trust, income was £7,360 and spending £7,521 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

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

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

What is Airedale Junior Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Airedale Junior Academy is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was Airedale Junior Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Airedale Junior Academy was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does Airedale Junior Academy have?

Airedale Junior Academy has 385 pupils on roll.

What age range does Airedale Junior Academy cover?

Airedale Junior Academy for pupils aged 7 to 11.

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

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Airedale Junior Academy?

Airedale Junior Academy is at Fryston Road, Airedale, 23, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 3EP.