The King's School
Mill Hill Lane, Pontefract, WF8 4JFOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
The King's School is a secondary school in Pontefract for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 155 schools in Wakefield. It ranks 2nd of 18 secondary schools in Wakefield. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 12 October 2022, report published 27 November 2022
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 12 October 2022
Pupils who attend The King's School receive a broad and ambitious education that prepares them well for their future. Pupils' academic success and personal development are of equal importance at the school. Each pupil is recognised as an individual. Staff identify pupils' potential, support their ambitions and help them to succeed. There are high aspirations for all. Pupils are resilient and hardworking. The arrangements to safeguard pupils are strong. Pupils' well-being is a priority for all staff. There are high expectations of pupils' behaviour across the school. Lessons are rarely disrupted. Pupils are polite, respectful and accept each other's differences. Bullying is uncommon. There is a warm and friendly atmosphere around the school. Staff listen to pupils and take action when they have a concern. Leaders ensure that pupils have the opportunity to follow their interests and develop new talents. Pupils of all ages and abilities benefit from a considerable number of enrichment activities. These include a wide range of sports, clubs and study support run before and after school. Leaders ensure that all pupils have the chance to take part. They listen and respond when pupils suggest new activities.
What the school should improve
- Leaders' records and analysis of information related to pupils' behaviour sometimes lack detail. This means that leaders are not consistently able to identify patterns of poor behaviour. As a result, they cannot take appropriate action to further improve the behaviour of some pupils. Leaders should ensure that pupils identified by their analysis are supported consistently so that they meet behaviour expectations at the school.
- Pupils' understanding of British values, protected characteristics and other faiths and cultures is too variable. This means that a minority of pupils are not well prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to revisit important content within the personal development curriculum so that it becomes embedded over time.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
206 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
1,041 pupils on roll, with places for 1,050
Schools near The King's School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| New College Pontefract | 0.7 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Carleton High School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 47.5 |
| The Featherstone Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 41.6 |
| St Wilfrid's Catholic High School & Sixth Form College: A Voluntary Academy | 2 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 46.7 |
| Airedale Academy | 3 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Attainment 8: 33.8 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- ARK SCHOOLS
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Ms Lyndsay Harris
- Phone
- 01977601701
- Address
- Mill Hill Lane, Pontefract, WF8 4JF
- Local authority
- Wakefield
- URN
- 139500
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.