Lift Meadstead
Meadstead Drive, Royston, Barnsley, S71 4JSOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Lift Meadstead is a primary school in Barnsley for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 95 schools in Barnsley. It ranks 17th of 58 primary schools in Barnsley. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 7 May 2025, report published 19 June 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 7 May 2025
The school is a safe and welcoming hub of the community. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They know that adults in school care about them. Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour and achievement. Pupils uphold 'Bumble's behaviours'; they engage well in lessons and play well at social times. The curriculum is well designed. Pupils develop the knowledge and skills that they need for secondary school. Children in the early years play and learn well. They are prepared for Year 1. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including pupils who are part of the specialist SEND provision, learn and develop well. The school has recently introduced its '50 Meadstead Memories Passport' to make sure that all pupils have enriching experiences. This includes a visit to the beach and the chance to play in a rock band. Some pupils have responsibilities, for example as eco warriors and play leaders. They make a positive contribution to school life. The school helps pupils reflect on stories read to them during whole-school assemblies. This provides pupils with meaningful opportunities to develop empathy and a sense of self.
What the school should improve
- Sometimes, lesson activities do not enable pupils to fully secure the knowledge and skills that they are intended to learn. When this happens, pupils do not achieve the depth of understanding that they could. The school should make sure that lesson activities support pupils to make meaningful connections and secure new learning consistently well.
- In the early years, some activities are not well matched to children's next steps based on their age and stage of development. When this happens, children do not learn as effectively as they could. The school should make sure that each activity in the early years has a clear purpose, which is matched to children's age and stage of development, and that staff are well trained to maximise the children's learning within each activity.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
28 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
215 pupils on roll, with places for 210
Schools near Lift Meadstead
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summerfields Primary Academy | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 88% met the expected standard |
| Parkside Primary Academy | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 72% met the expected standard |
| Royston St John Baptist CE Primary | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 55% met the expected standard |
| Carlton Primary Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 64% met the expected standard |
| Athersley North Primary School | 1 mile | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | 49% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- LIFT SCHOOLS
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Lee Bell
- Phone
- 01226722153
- Address
- Meadstead Drive, Royston, Barnsley, S71 4JS
- Local authority
- Barnsley
- URN
- 139132
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.