Horbury Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Wakefield for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 164 of its 1,070 pupils (15.3%) were getting SEN support and 53 (5%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,070 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Wakefield.
15.3% get SEN support
164 of 1,070 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
5% have an EHC plan
53 of 1,070 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health52
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia44
- Autism43
- Speech, language and communication25
- Moderate learning difficulty9
- Physical disability9
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 secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,070 (places for 1,059)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Nicola Walker
- Part of
- Place Partnership - A Multi-Academy Trust
- Free school meals
- 27.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Wakefield
- School reference (URN)
- 138707
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
Report card, January 2026: Expected standard in 3 of 6 areas
Inspected in January 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Contact and getting there
Wakefield Road, Horbury, Wakefield, WF4 5HE
Loading the map…
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
- Hall Cliffe School Independent · Ages 8–17 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 0.4 miles
- Methodist Voluntary Controlled Junior, Infant and Nursery School: With Communication Resource Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 2.0 miles
- Camphill Wakefield (Pennine Camphill Community Ltd) Independent · Ages 16–25 2.3 miles
- St Thomas à Becket Catholic Secondary School, A Voluntary Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 2.6 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Horbury Primary Academy Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 20.7%, EHC plans 4.4% 0.2 miles
- Horbury St Peter's and Clifton CofE (VC) Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 11.7%, EHC plans 3.3% 0.5 miles
- Wakefield Snapethorpe Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 13.1%, EHC plans 6% 0.8 miles
All mainstream schools in Wakefield SEND schools in Wakefield
Questions about Horbury Academy
How many pupils at Horbury Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 164 of the 1,070 pupils (15.3%) were getting SEN support and 53 (5%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Horbury Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (52 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (44 pupils) and autism (43 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Horbury Academy?
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 Horbury Academy?
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 Horbury Academy?
You can ask for Horbury Academy 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 Horbury Academy 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 Methodist Voluntary Controlled Junior, Infant and Nursery School: With Communication Resource, about 2.0 miles away.
Where is Horbury Academy?
Wakefield Road, Horbury, Wakefield, WF4 5HE, 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.