Ackton Pastures Primary Academy

Ackton Pastures Primary Academy is performing well, with an overall effectiveness rating of 'Good'. Leaders are dedicated to ensuring that all pupils feel valued and capable, which has fostered a positive learning environment. The school's curriculum is well-structured, particularly in core subjects like reading and mathematics, and pupils show good attitudes towards their learning. There have been notable improvements in behaviour, and the school promotes positive emotional support for pupils, contributing to their overall happiness and well-being. However, there are areas that require further development, particularly concerning support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and the depth of understanding regarding different cultures and religions.

Strengths

• Leaders are ambitious and place pupils at the heart of their work.
• Positive relationships between pupils and staff create a welcoming environment.
• The curriculum is well sequenced and designed to promote learning.
• Phonics teaching is effective, helping pupils become fluent readers.
• Leaders prioritize personal development through diverse experiences.
• Staff morale is high due to strong support and professional development opportunities.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils with SEND struggle to complete work independently due to support misalignment.
• The early years curriculum lacks detail and clarity, hindering children's skill development.
• Limited understanding of different religions and cultures among pupils.

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 Ackton Pastures Primary Academy attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.9% 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, 1.4% of pupils at Ackton Pastures Primary 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 Ackton Pastures Primary Academy had 23.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.4% 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, 18.0% of pupils at Ackton Pastures Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 Ackton Pastures Primary Academy received £6,161 and spent £5,999 for each of its 344 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £391,000 (£1,137 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of Inspire Partnership Multi Academy Trust, income was £6,468 and spending £6,416 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

Ackton Pastures Primary Academy is part of Inspire Partnership Multi Academy Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• Half Acres Primary Academy Castleford
• Featherstone Girnhill Infant School Pontefract
• Fitzwilliam Primary School Pontefract
• South Hiendley Primary School Barnsley
• Grove Lea Primary School Pontefract
• Towngate Primary Academy Ossett
• Ash Grove Primary Academy Pontefract
• Gawthorpe Community Academy Ossett

What is Ackton Pastures Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ackton Pastures Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was Ackton Pastures Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Ackton Pastures Primary Academy was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does Ackton Pastures Primary Academy have?

Ackton Pastures Primary Academy has 356 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ackton Pastures Primary Academy cover?

Ackton Pastures Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Ackton Pastures Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ackton Pastures Primary Academy?

Ackton Pastures Primary Academy is at College Grove, Whitwood, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 5NS.