Springwell Alternative Academy
St Helen's Boulevard, Carlton Road, Barnsley, S71 2AYOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Springwell Alternative Academy is an alternative provision school in Barnsley for ages 4 to 16. It is one of the 95 schools in Barnsley. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2017.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 8 November 2017, report published 2 January 2018
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 4 May 2023
Pupils enjoy attending Springwell. They feel valued, safe and understood. There are strong, positive relationships between staff and pupils. As a result, staff get the best from pupils and pupils want to do well. The morning nurture breakfast gets pupils off to a good start. Leaders make sure that pupils learn the practical skills of making breakfast, how to take turns and how to work collaboratively. They then get the chance to burn off some energy by either playing football or accessing the gym trail. There is a mutual respect between pupils. They understand why they are attending the school. This results in most classes being calm, orderly and purposeful. Pupils know what bullying is but it is not something that is a problem at school. At times, there is the potential for behaviour to disrupt learning, but staff manage challenging behaviour with great skill. Pupils appreciate the opportunities they have to speak to staff if they have a worry or concern. Older pupils welcome the post-16 advice they receive. The support leaders have put in place for future employment, training and education is invaluable. The experience many pupils have at Springwell supports their development beyond the school gates. Some parents talk about significant improvements at home in children's behaviour and attitude.
What the school should improve
- Leaders have not done enough to encourage pupils to see the value of reading and overcome pupils' negative experiences of reading. As a result, pupils are disinterested in reading and do not see the value of reading for pleasure. Leaders should work with staff to encourage pupils to read more and recognise its importance.
- Attendance remains too low for too many pupils. This means that pupils miss out on the curriculum and are not doing as well as they could at school. Leaders need to strengthen and adapt their approach to attendance to ensure that pupils attend school regularly.
Pupil numbers and mix
57 pupils on roll, with places for 99
Schools near Springwell Alternative Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|
| Enrich Academy | 7 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement |
| Evolve Academy | 7 miles | Ofsted: Good |
| Rotherham Aspire | 9 miles | Ofsted: Good |
| Pinderfields Hospital PRU | 9 miles | Ofsted: Good |
| Ethos College | 12 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding |
School details
- School type
- Academy alternative provision converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- WELLSPRING ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 4 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- David Fallis
- Phone
- 01226291133
- Address
- St Helen's Boulevard, Carlton Road, Barnsley, S71 2AY
- Local authority
- Barnsley
- URN
- 141564
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.