De Lacy Academy Review 2026: Outstanding 11–16 secondary in Knottingley

De Lacy Academy is a state-funded secondary for students aged 11 to 16, serving Knottingley and the wider Wakefield area. It is part of Delta Academies Trust, and its stated mission is to change lives through strong teaching and a broad educational experience.

Leadership has recently refreshed. The current principal is Mr Richard Fieldhouse, appointed by the academy members on 29 September 2024.

External evaluation remains a defining feature. The latest inspection judged the academy Outstanding across all graded areas, with inspection dates of 5 and 6 April 2022.

A school’s character shows up in the smallest routines, how adults speak to students, how consistently expectations are applied, and whether students feel comfortable being themselves. De Lacy’s published materials consistently emphasise positive relationships and a calm, respectful culture, with staff positioning wellbeing as a prerequisite for learning rather than an add-on.

That ethos is reinforced through formal structures. Student leadership includes a school council that meets weekly and feeds views through to senior leaders and the academy’s advisory board, a practical route for students who want to influence day-to-day life.

The trust context matters here. Delta Academies Trust is referenced across governance and statutory information, and the inspection report notes trust support and governance involvement as part of the school’s improvement and consistency story. For families, this typically translates into shared staff development, aligned policies, and clearer operational systems across the trust, although the day-to-day experience still depends on the local leadership team.

FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking places De Lacy Academy in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). Specifically, it is ranked 2,261st in England and 1st in Knottingley for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data).

On the core measures used for secondary benchmarks, the picture is mixed and best understood as solid rather than headline-leading. The Attainment 8 score is 44.5. Progress 8 sits at -0.12, which indicates that, on average, students make slightly below-average progress from their starting points compared with similar pupils nationally.

EBacc outcomes provide additional context. The average EBacc APS is 3.78, and 14.1% of pupils achieve grade 5 or above across the EBacc combination. For families, this often signals one of two realities: either the EBacc pathway is taken by a smaller proportion of the cohort, or the academy’s strengths and options are oriented more towards a wider technical and creative mix rather than driving a large EBacc entry pattern.

A final point for parents comparing local options: outcomes data should be read alongside curriculum design and the support structure. The same Progress 8 score can feel very different in practice depending on how well a school identifies gaps early, how consistently lessons are taught, and how effectively behaviour supports learning.

The strongest indicator of teaching quality is not a glossy prospectus claim, it is whether the curriculum is coherent and whether staff are explicit about what students should know, remember, and be able to do over time. De Lacy’s published curriculum outline points to a conventional academic core at Key Stage 3, with weekly lesson allocations that give English and mathematics four lessons each, science three, and modern languages (French) two.

At Key Stage 4, the structure signals breadth and choice. Alongside English, mathematics and science, the published outline references a menu that includes subjects such as Computer Science, Health and Social Care, Catering, Photography, Music, Performing Arts, and BTEC Sport, with Triple Science also appearing as an additional option.

Implication for families: students who learn best when they can connect classroom study to practical application may find the Key Stage 4 offer more motivating than an exclusively academic model.

Teaching practice, as described in the most recent inspection report, stresses clear explanation, regular checking for understanding, and frequent revisiting of prior learning to support long-term memory. The same report also describes targeted reading support, including short additional sessions for pupils with gaps in phonics knowledge.

Taken together, the intent is clear: build secure basics early, then widen pathways at Key Stage 4 without narrowing ambition for students who need extra scaffolding.

Because De Lacy Academy finishes at 16, the next step matters. The academy publishes destination data for Year 11 leavers, which provides a concrete sense of typical pathways. In the 2024 destination figures, 66% progressed to a further education college, 22% to a sixth form college, and 8% to an apprenticeship. Smaller proportions are shown for school sixth form and other routes, and NEET is reported at 1% for 2024.

Support for these choices is framed as a structured careers programme rather than a last-minute Year 11 intervention. The academy describes access to careers fairs and employer encounters, a confidential and impartial careers adviser for one-to-one guidance, and support on results day to confirm or adjust a planned destination.

For families, the practical implication is that post-16 planning should start earlier than many parents assume. A school without a sixth form needs to be particularly organised about transitions, and the published programme suggests De Lacy takes that responsibility seriously.

Admissions for Year 7 are coordinated through Wakefield Council rather than handled solely by the academy. For entry in September 2026, Wakefield’s secondary application portal opens on 1 September 2025 and the national closing date for on-time applications is 31 October 2025. Offers are released on 2 March 2026.

Wakefield also makes an important point that families sometimes miss: applications are not processed on a first-come basis, so applying earlier in the window does not improve chances, but applying late can materially reduce options. The council reports that 94% of on-time applicants received an offer at their first preference school in the previous year, which is reassuring at a system level, even though individual schools can still be competitive.

Open events tend to sit early in the admissions cycle. De Lacy has previously run an open evening in late September, a timing that commonly repeats year to year even when exact dates shift.

Parents who are weighing several Wakefield secondaries can use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check travel practicality and compare options consistently, then use the Comparison Tool on the local hub pages to line up GCSE benchmarks side by side.

Pastoral systems are most effective when families know exactly who to contact and students know they will be listened to. De Lacy’s published student welfare information sets out dedicated student support workers by year group, positioned as a parent’s first point of contact for pastoral concerns. It also identifies a designated safeguarding lead as the route for serious concerns.

Wellbeing is described as built into curriculum and routines, including assemblies and form-time, with a stated focus on confidence, relationships, and healthy choices. The academy also references an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) approach, with sessions offered either individually or in groups, positioned around helping students manage emotional development and day-to-day challenges.

This is the second place where official assurance carries weight: the most recent inspection report states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Extracurricular provision is most useful when it creates genuine identity, not just a generic list of clubs. De Lacy’s enrichment information includes a participation and recognition model, with attendance celebrated through a colours system and a red badge for regular involvement.

Sport and physical development

Sport is presented as a major strand, with students participating in competitions such as the Delta Games, School Games events, and local fixtures, plus cup competitions in traditional sports including rugby league, cross-country, football, and netball.

The academy also highlights deliberate exposure to less typical sports, with examples including wheelchair basketball, Tchoukball, Rock-It ball, frisbee, boccia, and new age curling, plus a partnership with a local golf club to access coaching.

Facilities named include two gymnasiums, a sports hall, a fitness suite, outdoor pitches and courts, and a new 3G pitch.

Implication: students who are not already “sporty” often engage more readily when the programme goes beyond the usual football-only offer, and the range described here is designed to lower the barrier to entry.

Creative arts and performance

The arts offer includes a Monday singing group and a Thursday steel pan band, with the steel pan group accommodating up to 16 students learning the instrument through arranged repertoire. Drama provision includes a Thursday lunchtime drama group working on scripted and devised pieces. Art enrichment references an art club supporting independent projects and whole-school work, plus a comic book club that links creativity with literacy.

The academy also describes performance opportunities across the year, including concerts and events tied to Year 8 graduation.

STEM and technical strands

In science enrichment, practical activities cited include rocket-building, an egg-drop competition, and rat dissection, all positioned as experiences that sit outside the usual curriculum.

Computing enrichment includes iMedia, coding, and a newer retro gaming club. The academy states it has six ICT suites and describes links with The Arcade Club in Leeds, including incentives such as free passes for participating students.

Languages enrichment includes a Spanish club with cultural learning and a broader culture club incorporating other European countries.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still plan for the normal associated costs such as uniform and educational visits. De Lacy has previously published that a first uniform is provided, with specific items required as part of the standard kit.

Published information indicates a start time of 8.20am, with Years 7 to 10 finishing at 2.30pm and Year 11 finishing later on most days.

Wakefield’s local directory listing also indicates a before-school club.

For travel, Knottingley railway station is described by a local education venue as about a 10-minute walk from the academy’s site, and the town also benefits from strong road links into the wider region.

• No sixth form on site. Post-16 progression is a real decision point at 16. The published destinations data suggests most leavers move into further education or sixth form colleges, with apprenticeships also a meaningful route. Families should visit likely post-16 providers early to avoid a rushed Year 11 choice.

• EBacc outcomes may not be the primary emphasis. The EBacc grade 5+ figure is relatively low in the available dataset, so families prioritising a strongly academic EBacc pathway should ask direct questions about entry rates, option patterns, and who is encouraged to take which combinations.

• A culture of high expectations can feel demanding. The academy’s published narrative stresses strong expectations and consistent behaviour. That tends to suit students who respond well to structure, but some children do best with a more relaxed pace. A visit, plus a look at behaviour and support policies, will help parents judge fit.

De Lacy Academy combines an Outstanding inspection outcome with a clear emphasis on relationships, wellbeing, and a broad enrichment offer that goes beyond the usual headline clubs. GCSE performance indicators sit around the middle of England schools on FindMySchool’s measures, with curriculum breadth at Key Stage 4 and strong destination tracking providing a fuller picture than exam statistics alone.

Best suited to families who want a structured 11–16 secondary with clear pastoral routes, strong sport and enrichment, and a deliberate approach to post-16 planning in the Wakefield area.