Overall Oxbridge
#359
1 ranked schools · +555 places vs Eng avg #914 of 1,983
Applications
31
Offers
4
Offer rate12.9%
-9.5 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 22.4%
Schools in Pontefract
Perched on a magnesium limestone outcrop that gave one of England's most contested medieval castle sites its defensive advantage, Pontefract holds the eastern edge of the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, a historic market town with a population of around 31,000. The castle ruins still stand.
Three railway stations link the town to the wider network, with Northern Rail services reaching Leeds in around thirty minutes. Carleton is among the most sought-after pockets for primary school catchments in this part of the district, with Larks Hill and Featherstone drawing families competing for local school places. Mill Hill and Halfpenny Lane stretch across the quieter residential approaches, and the town's centuries-long association with liquorice cultivation remains one of its most distinctive threads of local character.
35
Primary
schools
6
Secondary
schools
1
Post-16
colleges
2
Special
schools
of which5sixth forms·13faith·1nurseries45 total
Area Performance
Pontefract schools rank in the top 56% of England
Across 45 primary, secondary and sixth-form schools, state and independent. The average Find My School Inspection Score is 7.34/10, -0.06 vs England.
Find My School Inspection Band
14% Elite
Distribution across all Pontefract schools
EliteExcellentGoodDeveloping
Pontefract vs England distribution
National Rank
Top 56%
Across all ranked Pontefract schools
Top 53%Primaryavg #7,915 of 14,978
Top 64%Secondaryavg #2,464 of 3,862
Top 71%Sixth formavg #1,816 of 2,555
Primary schools: 34 schools (state + independent)
LocalEngland avg
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.3/10
-0.00 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.3/10
Average national rank
#7,915
-3 pts vs medianmedian 7,489
top 53% of 14,978
% reaching expected RWM standardstate
63%
+1 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 62%
% reaching higher RWM standardstate
10%
+2 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 8%
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.3/10
-0.00 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.3/10
Average national rank
#7,915
-3 pts vs medianmedian 7,489
top 53% of 14,978
% reaching expected RWM standardstate
63%
+1 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 62%
% reaching higher RWM standardstate
10%
+2 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 8%
Secondary schools: 6 schools (state + independent)
LocalEngland avg
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.0/10
-0.40 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.4/10
Average national rank
#2,464
-14 pts vs medianmedian 1,931
top 64% of 3,862
Attainment 8 score (out of 90)state
44.7
+5.6 vs Eng avgEng avg 39.1
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.0/10
-0.40 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.4/10
Average national rank
#2,464
-14 pts vs medianmedian 1,931
top 64% of 3,862
Attainment 8 score (out of 90)state
44.7
+5.6 vs Eng avgEng avg 39.1
Sixth form schools: 5 schools (state + independent)
LocalEngland avg
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.8/10
+0.01 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.7/10
Average national rank
#1,816
-21 pts vs medianmedian 1,278
top 71% of 2,555
% A*-A at A-Level
13%
-12 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 25%
% A*-B at A-Level
37%
-13 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 50%
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.8/10
+0.01 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.7/10
Average national rank
#1,816
-21 pts vs medianmedian 1,278
top 71% of 2,555
% A*-A at A-Level
13%
-12 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 25%
% A*-B at A-Level
37%
-13 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 50%
Oxford
#287
1 ranked schools · -34 places vs Eng avg #253 of 1,197
Applications
11
Offers
0
Offer rate0.0%
-15.1 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 15.1%
Cambridge
#227
1 ranked schools · +546 places vs Eng avg #773 of 1,880
Applications
20
Offers
4
Offer rate20.0%
-9.4 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 29.4%
Top 3 Primary Schools
2026
Pontefract
Top 3 Secondary Schools
2026
Pontefract
Local directory
School profiles in Pontefract
Browse 42 local profile links across primary schools, secondary schools and sixth forms. Each profile brings together admissions context, performance data, inspection history and school details in one place.
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