Airedale Academy
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,008 pupils
79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 33.8
Academy sponsor led
Outwood Academy Hemsworth
- Pupils on roll
- 1,101of 1,632 places
- Free school meals
- 43.3%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 170
- Ofsted
- Inspected, 4 March 2025Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Hemsworth Arts and Community Academy (URN 139335, until 30 April 2018).
What the data says
Of the 179 pupils who finished Year 11 at Outwood Academy Hemsworth in 2023, 15% stayed on in Outwood Academy Hemsworth’s own sixth form (Wakefield average 12%), 50% went to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.
14% of leavers were not in sustained education, employment or training six months on, compared with 6% nationally.
A level grades average D+, well below the England average of B-.
Among the 51 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 37% went to university (Wakefield 35%, England 37%), and 10% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Wakefield and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Outwood Academy Hemsworth | Wakefield | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 179 | 3,844 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 82% | 89% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 74% | 82% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 15% | 12% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 9% | 28% | 13% |
| — further education college | 50% | 41% | 37% |
| — other education | 0% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 4% | 3% |
| Employment | 5% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 14% | 8% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 4% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Outwood Academy Hemsworth | Wakefield | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 51 | 3,906 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 82% | 80% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 37% | 35% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 10% | 14% | 19% |
| Further education | 0% | 4% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 4% | 9% | 7% |
| Employment | 41% | 30% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 14% | 17% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Outwood Academy Hemsworth | Wakefield | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 41.0 | 45.1 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 40% | 46% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 62% | 65% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 31% | 33% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.73 | 3.95 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 35% | 28% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 32.1 | 33.4 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 45.8 | 49.6 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 5% | 12% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 170 | 100% | 89% | 16% | 20% | 65% |
| Mathematics | 170 | 100% | 88% | 9% | 22% | 65% |
| English Literature | 170 | 100% | 86% | 14% | 21% | 64% |
| Combined Science | 131 | 77% | 65% | 9% | 9% | 60% |
| Geography | 84 | 49% | 41% | 10% | 25% | 37% |
| History | 69 | 41% | 41% | 22% | 26% | 62% |
| Spanish | 51 | 30% | 19% | 35% | 27% | 86% |
| Biology | 35 | 21% | 23% | 37% | 45% | 66% |
| Computer Science | 27 | 16% | 13% | 30% | 30% | 70% |
| Physics | 26 | 15% | 23% | 31% | 46% | 88% |
| Chemistry | 23 | 14% | 23% | 48% | 47% | 100% |
| Fine Art | 20 | 12% | 9% | 25% | 28% | 65% |
| Music | 13 | 8% | 5% | 8% | 33% | 38% |
| Polish | 2 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Chinese | 2 | 1% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Management | 46 | 100% | — |
| Engineering Studies | 37 | 100% | — |
| Building / Construction Operations (General / Combined) | 33 | 100% | — |
| Sports Studies | 24 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 23 | 100% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 16 | 73% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 13 | 59% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Outwood Academy Hemsworth | Wakefield | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 59 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 22 | 1,538 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | D+ | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 21.67 | 35.78 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | — | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | — | 14% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 11 | 50% | 23% |
| English Language | 6 | 27% | 4% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Mathematics | — | — | 31% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | 8 | 36% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 7 | 32% | — |
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 6 | 27% | — |
| Tourism | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Law / Legal Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Building / Construction Operations (General / Combined) | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Wakefield
Carleton High School
Academy converter · 1,026 pupils
79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.5
Castleford Academy
Academy converter · 1,480 pupils
81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.5
Crofton Academy
Academy converter · 1,045 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.5
De Lacy Academy
Academy converter · 853 pupils
70% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.6
Horbury Academy
Academy converter · 1,070 pupils
82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.7
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.