Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School is a mainstream primary school in Wakefield for children aged 4 to 11. In January 2026, 130 of its 608 pupils (21.4%) were getting SEN support and 21 (3.5%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–11
- 608 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state primary schools across England and in Wakefield.
21.4% get SEN support
130 of 608 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Higher than the England average.
3.5% have an EHC plan
21 of 608 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Speech, language and communication68
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia38
- Social, emotional and mental health26
- Physical disability8
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream primary school
- Run as
- Voluntary aided school
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 608 (places for 630)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Caroline Butterworth
- Faith
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 24.3% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Wakefield
- School reference (URN)
- 108270
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Wakefield council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, January 2025; school remains Good (October 2019)
Inspected in January 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
- Personal developmentRequires improvement
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, October 2019).
Contact and getting there
Barnsley Road, Wakefield, WF2 6AS
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Methodist Voluntary Controlled Junior, Infant and Nursery School: With Communication Resource Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
- Camphill Wakefield (Pennine Camphill Community Ltd) Independent · Ages 16–25 1.8 miles
- Ivy Lane School Independent · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Good 2.4 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Sandal Magna Community Academy Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 15.7%, EHC plans 2.7% 0.7 miles
- Kettlethorpe High School Secondary · Ages 11–16 · SEN support 12.7%, EHC plans 3.1% 0.9 miles
- Walton Primary Academy Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 8.6%, EHC plans 5.1% 1.2 miles
All mainstream schools in Wakefield SEND schools in Wakefield
Questions about Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School
How many pupils at Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 130 of the 608 pupils (21.4%) were getting SEN support and 21 (3.5%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state primary schools it is 15.4% and 4.1%.
What are the most common needs at Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are speech, language and communication needs (68 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (38 pupils) and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (26 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School?
Through Wakefield council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School?
You can ask for Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy, about 0.4 miles away.
Where is Sandal Castle VA Community Primary School?
Barnsley Road, Wakefield, WF2 6AS, in Wakefield.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.