School profile

Barnsley Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Barnsley, S70 3DL

Good

Map showing Barnsley Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,418 of 3,312

Worse than 72% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

Barnsley Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 28 Jan 2020

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils874
GenderMixed
Religious characterChristian
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Stephen Pitcher
TrustUNITED LEARNING TRUST
Local authorityBarnsley
Opened01 Sept 2006
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 131749.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolBarnsleyEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.41.6, worse than England, similar to Barnsley43.146.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.54.4%, worse than England, worse than Barnsley63.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.35.5%, worse than England, worse than Barnsley45.7%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.7.7%, worse than England, worse than Barnsley11.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths51.5%, worse than England, worse than Barnsley58.1%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4169--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils874
Girls447
Boys427
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.49.3%
First language not English16.4%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.900
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.2.9%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.122
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.40
Average class size25.7

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
77.6%
Other White
10.3%
African
4.9%
Other mixed
1.7%
Other ethnic group
1.7%
White and Black Caribbean
0.7%
White and Black African
0.6%
Other Black
0.6%
Indian
0.5%
Gypsy/Roma
0.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher19.4
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.9
Teachers (FTE)45
Teaching assistants (FTE)10.24
Support staff (FTE)35.3
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2546.3
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2537.3
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/251
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/258

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.168
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.335
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.138
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.138
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolBarnsleyEngland
Overall absence10.5%, worse than England-8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.28.5%, worse than England-21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.5.9%, worse than England-3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate68.3%
Pupils with one or more suspensions15%
Permanent exclusion rate0.8%
Permanent exclusions7

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.88.8%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.85.9%
Further education81.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.6%
School sixth form1.8%
Sixth form college1.8%
Apprenticeship1.8%
Employment1.2%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Barnsley Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimaryBank End Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.4 miPrimaryThe Forest AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Outstanding
0.5 miPrimaryThe Mill AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.5 miPrimaryHunningley Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.9 miPrimaryWard Green Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimaryOakhill Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimaryWorsbrough Common Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimaryOakwell Rise Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.4 miPrimaryQueens Road AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.6 miPrimaryOutwood Primary Academy Littleworth GrangeAcademy sponsor led
Good

Frequently asked questions about Barnsley Academy

What is Barnsley Academy's Ofsted rating?

Barnsley Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 28 Jan 2020.

How does Barnsley Academy rank in England?

Barnsley Academy ranks 2,418 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 72% of schools).

What are Barnsley Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 35.5% of pupils at Barnsley Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 41.6 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Barnsley Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Barnsley Academy made 168 offers from 335 applications (2 per offer), and 138 of 138 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Barnsley Academy?

Barnsley Academy has 874 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Barnsley Academy?

Barnsley Academy had 900 school places in 2024/25.

Does Barnsley Academy have a sixth form?

No, Barnsley Academy teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at Barnsley Academy?

At Barnsley Academy, the average class had 25.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 19.4 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Barnsley Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Barnsley Academy missed 10.5% of sessions (England 8%), and 28.5% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.