Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Photo: Dave Bevis · CC BY-SA 2.048% of South Elmsall’s primary pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, below both West Yorkshire’s towns (64%) and towns in England (62%). South Elmsall grades C− for schools, on Department for Education Key Stage 2 and GCSE results: #86 of 91 in West Yorkshire. Ofsted is shown, not graded.
Town figures are pupil-weighted across the schools the grade uses; England’s are the average school.
South Elmsall’s secondary results beat 38% of English towns; its primary results beat 5%. 48% of the town’s 11-year-olds meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, against 62% at the average school in England and 63% across Wakefield. Every school’s result ↓
Written from the Department for Education and Ofsted data on this page.
Against every town in England with results; Wales publishes none.
The secondary figure lifts South Elmsall; the primary figure holds it back.
The primary figure: 4 primaries in the town, 512 pupils in results over three years. South Elmsall has 1 secondary of its own with GCSE results, too few to judge on, so the secondary figure uses the 1 graded secondary in and within 3 km of the town (263 pupils in results). Mainstream state schools only (grammar schools included); special schools, alternative provision, nurseries and 16–19 colleges are listed below but not graded. Each school’s results are compared with every school in England, then weighted by its pupils.
Each school at its address, coloured by its own letter and sized by pupils. Open a school for its own page. The dashed shape is South Elmsall’s built-up area.
Most schools give places by distance once siblings are in, so the schools nearest a home matter more than any league table.
Schools with more pupils on free school meals tend to get lower results. The dashed line is the typical school in England for each level of free school meals; the band holds the middle two-thirds. A dot above the band is doing better than schools like it.
The share of pupils on free school meals runs from 29% at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Moorthorpe to 42% at Moorthorpe Primary School With Inclusion Resource. 0 of 4 primaries are above the line.
| School | Free school meals | Result | Typical for that intake | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, MoorthorpeKS2 % | 29% | 56% | 61% | −5 |
| Ash Grove Primary AcademyKS2 % | 30% | 52% | 60% | −8 |
| South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant SchoolKS2 % | 34% | 46% | 59% | −13 |
| Moorthorpe Primary School With Inclusion ResourceKS2 % | 42% | 41% | 57% | −16 |
Free school meals: pupils eligible now, DfE January 2026 census. The typical-school line is a straight-line fit across every graded school in England. It describes; it doesn’t grade: the School Grade uses results alone.
Wakefield Council handles applications for every state school in South Elmsall, academies included. You apply to the council where you live, even for a school in another area.
Every school publishes its admissions rules. Children in care come first, then, at most schools, brothers and sisters of current pupils, then those who live nearest. 1 of South Elmsall’s 5 mainstream schools have a religious character; some of them give priority by church attendance, so check each school’s rules. Infant classes are limited to 30 by law. If you’re refused a place, you can appeal to an independent panel.
Useful: Apply for a primary place (GOV.UK) · Apply for a secondary place (GOV.UK) · How admissions criteria work
Pupils on roll as a share of the school’s official capacity. The black tick is 100%.
DfE register of schools (GIAS), January 2026 census. Capacity often excludes a nursery class, so a school with a nursery can show over 100%.
Each school’s own letter compares its results with every state school in England of the same phase: Key Stage 2 for primaries, GCSEs for secondaries. Open a school for its results, how its letter is worked out, Ofsted and a map.
Key result: Attainment 8 and grade 5+ English and maths (GCSEs, 2025/26 provisional) for secondaries; the share meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (KS2, DfE’s three-year average) for primaries. Pupils: the January 2026 school census. No letter: an infant or first school (no KS2 tests), a new school, a small cohort DfE suppresses, or a special school, nursery or college. Independent schools aren’t included.
Each school’s latest inspection; report cards replace one-word judgements as schools are re-inspected.
Ofsted stopped giving one-word judgements in 2024. Until a school is re-inspected, its last overall judgement is its most recent single grade; a school judged years ago may have changed a lot since.
Since November 2025 Ofsted gives each area of a school one of five grades (exceptional, strong standard, expected standard, needs attention, urgent improvement) and says whether safeguarding is met, instead of one overall word. 0 of South Elmsall’s 5 state schools have a report card so far; the others show their last inspection under the old framework. Ofsted is never part of the School Grade.
Academies are state schools run by a trust rather than the council: the trust employs the staff and can set its own curriculum and term dates. Admissions still go through the council.
| Run by | Schools | Pupils | Their letters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minsthorpe Academy TrustMinsthorpe Community College | 1 | 1,609 | C+ |
| Inspire Partnership Multi Academy TrustAsh Grove | 1 | 265 | C− |
| Bishop Konstant Catholic Academy TrustSt Joseph's | 1 | 204 | C |
| Wakefield CouncilSouth Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant, Moorthorpe School With Inclusion Resource | 2 | 670 | DD |
In England young people stay in education or training until 18: a sixth form, a college, or an apprenticeship.
The state secondary in South Elmsall has its own sixth form. The nearest college is DN Colleges Group, a further-education college 8 miles away.
| College | Distance |
|---|---|
| DN Colleges GroupFurther-education college · DN1 2RF | 8 mi |
| Barnsley CollegeFurther-education college · S70 2YW | 8.4 mi |
| Heart of Yorkshire Education GroupFurther-education college · WF1 2DH | 10.8 mi |
| RNN GroupFurther-education college · S65 1EG | 11.6 mi |
Ranked by School Grade, best first: the towns either side of South Elmsall, and the top and bottom of the group.
| # | Town | Schools | KS2 | Attainment 8 | Grade 5+ E&M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chorleywood Hertfordshire | A+ | 79% | 59.8 | 71% |
| … | |||||
| 307 | Featherstone West Yorkshire | C− | 50% | 44.5 | 41% |
| 308 | Bursledon Hampshire | C− | 54% | 42.7 | 39% |
| 309 | Bolsover Derbyshire | C− | 47% | 42.9 | 45% |
| 310 | Sandy Bedfordshire | C− | 56% | 41.4 | 36% |
| 311 | South Elmsall West Yorkshire | C− | 48% | 44.7 | 41% |
| 312 | Clay Cross Derbyshire | C− | 53% | 43.4 | 37% |
| 313 | Bradwell Norfolk | D | 55% | 41.4 | 35% |
| 314 | Irthlingborough Northamptonshire | D | 57% | 40.7 | 29% |
| 315 | Stakeford Northumberland | D | 46% | 43.6 | 42% |
| … | |||||
| 356 | Sandown Isle of Wight | D− | 52% | 32 | 16% |
Coloured by School Grade.
| Town | Schools | KS2 | Att. 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Elmsall 5 schools | C− | 48% | 44.7 |
| South Kirkby 3 schools · uses schools within 3 km · 1.4 mi | D | 46% | 41.6 |
| Upton 1 school · uses schools within 3 km · 1.7 mi | C− | 52% | 44.7 |
| Hemsworth 5 schools · uses schools within 3 km · 2.8 mi | C | 64% | 37.5 |
| Thurnscoe 2 schools · uses schools within 3 km · 3.5 mi | D | 55% | 39.3 |
| Great Houghton 1 school · uses schools within 3 km · 3.7 mi | C+ | 60% | — |
| Brierley 1 school · uses schools within 3 km · 3.7 mi | C+ | 63% | 40.8 |
| Grimethorpe 2 schools · uses schools within 3 km · 3.8 mi | B− | 63% | 43.3 |
Grimethorpe has the best-graded schools nearby (B−). Small places often use the schools within 3 km, so neighbours can share schools.
South Elmsall’s state schools earn a C− against schools across England: primary results beat 5% of towns in England; secondary results beat 38% of towns in England, on Department for Education Key Stage 2 and GCSE results. School places are handled by Wakefield council.
On Key Stage 2 results over 2023–25, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Moorthorpe: 56% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, against 62% at the average school in England.
Yes, it has one.
Through Wakefield Council, for every state school including academies. Secondary applications close on 31 October (offers 1 March); primary on 15 January (offers 16 April).
5 open state-funded schools are located in South Elmsall’s built-up area: 4 primary, 1 secondary and 0 other (special schools, alternative provision, nurseries and 16–19). Independent schools aren’t included.
Sources: DfE Get Information about Schools (16 October 2026), Key Stage 2 performance tables (2023–2025, three-year average) and Key Stage 4 (2025/26, provisional); Ofsted state-funded school inspections as at 30 September 2026 · DfE Get Information about Schools (16 October 2026), further-education and sixth-form colleges · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.