These 21 primary and secondary schools are the most overcrowded in Wakefield

Department for Education figures show 21 schools were at or over capacity in the Wakefield district in the 2021-22 academic year. Of them, 19 were primary schools and two were secondary schools.

A school is at or in excess of capacity when the number of pupils enrolled is greater than or equal to its number of places.

Across England, 17 per cent of primary schools were full or over capacity while 23 per cent of secondary schools, including sixth forms, were at or above capacity last year.

The Education Policy Institute said areas with schools operating close to or over capacity see teaching staff facing additional demand.

Jon Andrews, Education Policy Institute head of analysis, said that the proportion of schools operating at over capacity is likely to fall in the coming year.

Mr Andrews added: "Pupil numbers are already declining in primary, and will soon peak in secondary and special schools.

“The Department for Education estimates that the total pupil population will fall by over 900,000 between 2022 and 2032.”

He warned the result of schools operating close to or over capacity is additional demands on teaching staff and pupils being left without their preferred choice of school.

Mr Andrews continued to say: "With our research having revealed that pupils from more affluent backgrounds more frequently succeed via these routes of appeal, it’s likely that disadvantaged pupils will suffer to a greater extent from the effects of schools being over capacity.”

The figures show the most crowded secondary school in Wakefield was Outwood Academy City Fields, which had 764 pupils and 750 places last year.

The most crowded primary school in the district was Featherstone Junior and Infant School, which had 309 pupils and 286 places last year.

Geoff Barton, Association of School and College Leaders general secretary, said arrangements are put in place to accommodate pupils where a school is oversubscribed.

Mr Barton added: "The bigger issue is that this situation is often driven by Ofsted judgements rather than a shortage of school places in the system as a whole because many parents apply for schools with ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ ratings.

"It drives up property prices in certain areas and stigmatises schools in other areas."

He said the system "desperately" needs to be reviewed and added struggling schools need more support.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said it has created almost 1.2 million school places since 2010 and that many more are "in the pipeline".

They said: “The vast majority of schools listed as overcapacity are either at or just over recorded capacity, and we work closely with local authorities to make sure they offer a school place to every child in country.”