The school's history dates back to the late 1500s, when Normanton Grammar School was founded and
endowed by
John Freeston of
Altofts, a local barrister. The school was later moved to its current location in the 1950s, where only a chimney remains in the original location. In 1977 Normanton Secondary Modern School was merged with Normanton Grammar School to form Normanton Freeston Comprehensive School at the site of the Modern school. Along with a number of other secondary schools, Freeston changed itself to an academy status in 2011. Its school motto was "Making the Difference in the Business of Learning". On 20 August 2015 the academy library and ICT lab caught fire and burnt down as a result of maintenance work being carried out on the roof. On 8 September 2017
Wakefield City Academies Trust announced it was disbanding. On 30 January 2018
Outwood Grange Academies Trust was named as the new sponsor for The Freeston Academy. The school transferred to its new sponsor on 1 June 2018, reopening as Outwood Academy Freeston. ==Academics==