Ofsted: Requires improvement emoji_events #75 in Wakefield public Top 87% UK

Featherstone Purston St Thomas Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Cathryn Hampshire

location_onPontefract, WF7 5BG

language Visit Website phone 1977706063

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

356

school

Expected Standard

46%

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Age Range

7-11

summarize

Featherstone Purston St Thomas Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School is a Voluntary controlled school primary school in Pontefract, serving ages 7-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 87% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Featherstone Purston St Thomas Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School is a voluntary controlled school in Pontefract, Wakefield, admitting pupils aged 7-11. The school has approximately 354 pupils on roll, of whom 46% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 46% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 1% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #75 of 98 primaries in Wakefield and #10,729 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement, personal development Requires improvement, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 25.7:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.3 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

46%

LA 64%

Reading57% LA 74%

Writing67% LA 75%

Maths62% LA 75%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

49%

LA 63%England 61%

Reading65% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing70% LA 74% · Eng 72%

Maths60% LA 74% · Eng 73%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

35%

LA 59%England 60%

Reading50% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Writing63% LA 73% · Eng 71%

Maths50% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Read SS

100

Maths SS

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

-4.1

Read

LA -0.7

-5.6 to -2.7

-3.6

Write

LA 0.1

-5.0 to -2.2

-4.0

Maths

LA 0.0

-5.3 to -2.6

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

72%

LA 63%England 65%

Reading80% LA 70% · Eng 73%

Writing83% LA 78% · Eng 78%

Maths78% LA 78% · Eng 79%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

107

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.2

Read

LA -0.7

-1.3 to 1.7

1.0

Write

LA 0.1

-0.4 to 2.4

-0.7

Maths

LA -0.1

-2.1 to 0.6

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

63%

LA 60%

Reading69% LA 71%

Writing82% LA 77%

Maths71% LA 72%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

106

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.1

Read

LA -0.7

-2.6 to 0.4

0.9

Write

LA 0.1

-0.5 to 2.3

-1.2

Maths

LA -0.6

-2.6 to 0.2

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

05 March 2024

Inspection Report

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17 July 2018

Inspection Report

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13 November 2013

Inspection Report

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09 January 2012

Inspection Report

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17 March 2009

Inspection Report

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21 June 2006

Inspection Report

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17 January 2000

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2024-03-05

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Requires improvement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2018-07-17

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2013-11-13

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2009-03-17

None EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.6%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.6%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 354 pupils. During this period, there were 2 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.6%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	354	2	0.6%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	358	7	2.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	371	16	4.3%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	373	17	4.6%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	372	25	6.7%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	346	9	2.6%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	356	10	2.8%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	355	1	0.3%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	342	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	338	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	338	1	0.3%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	313	0	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	318	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	318	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	312	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	312	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	312	0	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	284	0	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	281	0	0.0%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	276	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	261	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	259	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	258	0	0.0%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	256	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	256	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	256	0	0.0%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 23 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 21 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 15 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 7 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 3 pupils

Hearing Impairment 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

78.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

75.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

9.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree16%

agree47%

disagree31%

strongly disagree6%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree16%

agree34%

disagree38%

strongly disagree13%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree19%

agree28%

disagree25%

strongly disagree16%

not applicable13%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree19%

agree41%

disagree22%

strongly disagree6%

don't know13%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree19%

agree41%

disagree22%

strongly disagree9%

don't know9%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree19%

agree19%

disagree50%

strongly disagree9%

don't know3%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree25%

agree47%

disagree9%

strongly disagree3%

don't know16%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree22%

agree47%

disagree25%

strongly disagree3%

don't know3%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree19%

agree25%

disagree34%

strongly disagree13%

don't know9%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes41%

no59%

Top Primary Schools in Wakefield

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Stanley St Peters Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Good

location_on Wakefield, WF3 4HS

emoji_events #1 in LA

Stanley Grove Primary and Nursery Academy

Good

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Carleton Park Junior and Infant School

Good

location_on Pontefract, WF8 3PT

emoji_events #3 in LA

Rooks Nest Academy

Good

location_on Wakefield, WF1 3DX

emoji_events #4 in LA

Ossett Southdale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School

Good

location_on Ossett, WF5 8BA

emoji_events #5 in LA

Normanton Junior Academy

Good

location_on Normanton, WF6 1EY

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Wakefield arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Church of England)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Wakefield

Stanley St Peters Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Stanley Grove Primary and Nursery Academy

Carleton Park Junior and Infant School

Rooks Nest Academy

Ossett Southdale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School

Normanton Junior Academy