Greenacre School, Barnsley
Greenacre School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Barnsley, part of Wellspring Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Greenacre School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Greenacre School are West Riding Academy (2.2 miles); Springwell Special Academy (2.6 miles, Good); Waterton Newstead Academy (3 miles, Good); and Park House School (3.6 miles).
West Riding AcademySpringwell Special AcademyWaterton Newstead AcademyPark House School
The trust
Greenacre School is one of 33 schools run by Wellspring Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 39 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 51% to a further education college.
Who goes there
54.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 10% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Greenacre School has an education, health and care plan (340 of 340 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Dodworth Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Keresforth Hill Road/Dark Lane (near), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 263 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Barnsley (121), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Greenacre School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from March 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its March 2013 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
54.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Greenacre School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Greenacre School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Greenacre School is in Barnsley; for families living there:
Apply to Barnsley for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 8 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Barnsley is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
109%
Over capacity
340 pupils
312 places
28 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Barnsley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barnsley
Across Barnsley council
Places available
2,717
Applications
2,653
Got 1st preference
91.0%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All secondary applications across Barnsley council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
340
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
340
Total Pupils
233
Boys
107
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
36
Teachers
9.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,237
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.2%
Overall absence
27.5%
Persistent absence
284
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Greenacre School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Greenacre School
What are SATs results like at Greenacre School?
Of the pupils at Greenacre School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Greenacre School's Ofsted rating?
Greenacre School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Greenacre School?
No fixed boundary. When Greenacre School is oversubscribed, Barnsley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Greenacre School?
Greenacre School has around 340 pupils on roll. 55% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Greenacre School?
10.2% of sessions were missed at Greenacre School in 2024/25. 27.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Greenacre School?
Apply through Barnsley's coordinated admissions process, naming Greenacre School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Greenacre School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 8 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Barnsley is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Greenacre School?
Greenacre School is at Keresforth Hill Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 6RG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)