Barnsley Academy
Farm Road, Kendray, Barnsley, S70 3DLOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Barnsley Academy is a secondary school in Barnsley for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 95 schools in Barnsley. It ranks 4th of 8 secondary schools in Barnsley. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in January 2020.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 28 January 2020, report published 11 February 2020
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 14 January 2025
The school is a welcoming and vibrant place. Most pupils enjoy the education and wider opportunities that the school provides. They learn to become mature and responsible members of its community. Pupils increasingly meet the school's high expectations for their conduct. They form positive relationships with staff and peers. Pupils behave better and attend more regularly than has previously been the case. The school is aspirational for what pupils can achieve. Most pupils produce work of a high quality and achieve well. The school recognises that there remains further work to do to ensure that some improvements to the curriculum, and how it is taught, are sustained so that this is the case for all pupils and in all subjects. Pupils at the school access a wide variety of activities that enhance their education. The school's 'student charter' maps a range of rich opportunities that pupils are entitled to. A growing number of pupils benefit from these. For example, Year 7 pupils learn to play a musical instrument. Other experiences, such as visits to places of worship or to the Houses of Parliament, reinforce pupils' learning. Many pupils take an active role in the school, including those who hold student ambassador responsibilities.
What the school should improve
- Over time, rates of absence have been too high. Some pupils have missed important learning and have not achieved as well as they should. The school should embed recent improvements to its attendance systems to ensure that increases in attendance are sustained.
- Some parents do not feel that their concerns are understood or addressed fully by the school. Sometimes, this reduces the school's ability to work in partnership with parents in the interest of pupils. The school should continue its work to develop stronger communication with parents to ensure that all parties work collaboratively to secure the best outcomes for pupils.
- Some improvements in the way the curriculum is taught are still becoming fully embedded. There is variation in achievement between groups of pupils and across subjects. The school should embed the improvements that it has made to ensure that all pupils achieve consistently highly.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
204 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
874 pupils on roll, with places for 900
Schools near Barnsley Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Academy St. Edwards | 2 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Not published |
| Netherwood Academy | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 42.6 |
| Horizon Community College | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 49.8 |
| Kirk Balk Academy | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 46.0 |
| Holy Trinity Catholic and Church of England School | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | Attainment 8: 37.5 |
School details
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- UNITED LEARNING TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Christian
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr Stephen Pitcher
- Phone
- 01226284606
- Address
- Farm Road, Kendray, Barnsley, S70 3DL
- Local authority
- Barnsley
- URN
- 131749
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.