Best secondary schools in Wakefield
Wakefield schools need sector pairing because commuter spillover skews perceptions. This ranking covers 18 secondary schools in the Wakefield local authority. Postcode area WF2 has the highest average school score (66.0 across 3 schools), while WF10 sits at the lower end (35.8). 94% of ranked Wakefield secondary schools hold an Ofsted Outstanding or Good rating.
Top 10 secondary schools in Wakefield on the LocaleIQ model
Ordered by composite score within the Wakefield comparison pool. Rankings reflect published data, not editorial opinion.
More secondary schools in Wakefield
Positions 11–18 in the Wakefield ranking.
| # | School | LocaleIQ | Ofsted | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Carleton High School | 46.3 | Good | Secondary |
| 12 | Crofton Academy | 42.2 | Good | Secondary |
| 13 | St Thomas � Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy | 41.3 | Good | Secondary |
| 14 | The Featherstone Academy | 31.1 | Good | Secondary |
| 15 | Outwood Academy Hemsworth | 28.7 | Good | Secondary |
| 16 | Outwood Academy Freeston | 17.4 | Good | Secondary |
| 17 | Outwood Academy City Fields | 13.4 | Good | Secondary |
| 18 | Airedale Academy | 3.8 | Requires improvement | Secondary |
Keep exploring Wakefield
Questions about secondary schools in Wakefield
What is the best secondary school in Wakefield?
Trinity Academy Cathedral is the top-ranked secondary school in Wakefield (LocaleIQ score 79.4 out of 100). Ofsted: Outstanding. Attainment 8 48.7. The score combines Ofsted outcome, Progress 8 and Attainment 8, and cohort-weighted percentile ranks within the Wakefield secondary pool.
What is the best primary school in Wakefield?
Larks Hill Junior and Infant School tops the Wakefield primary school ranking (LocaleIQ 100). Ofsted: Outstanding. KS2 expected 97% · higher 53%. See the full primary school ranking for Wakefield for the complete list.
Which secondary schools in Wakefield have the best GCSE results?
Attainment 8 measures average GCSE grades across eight subjects; Progress 8 compares actual grades against predictions based on KS2 — a positive figure means pupils outperformed expectations. Top performers in Wakefield: Trinity Academy Cathedral (Attainment 8 48.7); Kettlethorpe High School (Attainment 8 46.9); De Lacy Academy (Attainment 8 45.6). Both metrics feed into the LocaleIQ secondary school score.
Which secondary schools in Wakefield are rated Outstanding by Ofsted?
2 secondary schools in the Wakefield ranking hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating: Trinity Academy Cathedral, De Lacy Academy. Outstanding means Ofsted judged the school exceptional in all inspection areas. LocaleIQ weighs DfE performance data alongside Ofsted, so a Good-rated school can still rank highly.
How many secondary schools are ranked in Wakefield?
This ranking covers 18 secondary schools in the Wakefield comparison pool. Schools without sufficient published data are excluded but may appear in the LocaleIQ directory.
Which area of Wakefield has the best secondary schools?
By average LocaleIQ score across postcode areas, WF2 has the strongest cluster — 66.0 average across 3 ranked secondary schools. WF10 sits at the lower end (35.8 average). Wakefield schools need sector pairing because commuter spillover skews perceptions. Postcode averages mask individual variation — always review each school's full profile.
Ranking data last computed 29 March 2026.