Junior schools start at Year 3, so children join here from an infant school.
Every child joining in Year 3 needs a place applied for through the council where they live, by 15 January in Year 2.
Official inspection reports and grades
Inspected 13 May 2025
Compared with the local authority and England
The share of pupils reaching the standard expected for their age, and the share going beyond it.
| Measure | School | Wakefield | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing & maths — expected | 94% | 63% | 63% |
| Reading, writing & maths — higher | 25% | 9% | 8% |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling — expected | 84% | 68% | 73% |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling — higher | 35% | 23% | 30% |
A score of 100 is the expected standard; 110 or more is a higher standard.
| Subject | School | Wakefield | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 108 | 105 | 106 |
| Maths | 111 | 104 | 105 |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling | 106 | 104 | 105 |
School workforce census, 2025/26.
Ofsted’s survey of parents at this school
82%
of parents would recommend this school to another parent
61 responses up to 1 September 2025 · 18% response rate
My child is happy at this school.
89% agreeMy child feels safe at this school.
90% agreeThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.
90% agreeMy child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.
52% agreeThe school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.
93% agreeOssett Southdale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School's last overall grade from Ofsted was Good, on 27 November 2019. Ofsted inspected it again on 13 May 2025 without giving an overall grade, as single-word grades ended in September 2024.
Apply through the council where you live by 15 January for a Year 3 place starting that September. Children moving up from an infant school still need to apply. You can usually list between 3 and 6 schools in order of preference, and offers are sent on 16 April, or the next working day. As a Church of England school it may also ask for a supplementary form, and its admissions policy says whether it does.
No. Distance only counts when Ossett Southdale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School has more applicants than places. Then its admission criteria, set by the local authority, Wakefield, decide who is offered a place first. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance or a catchment area. As a Church of England school, it can give priority to children on grounds of faith. How far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
Ossett Southdale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School had 336 pupils aged 7 to 11 at the latest school census. Its official capacity is 360. It is a mixed school.