Holy Rood Catholic Primary School, Barnsley
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Holy Rood provides a welcoming environment where pupils behave well and feel safe. The early years sets children up for success, and the school offers a rich curriculum with interesting enrichment activities. Children who need additional support, including those learning English as an additional language, receive well-targeted help to succeed.
Key Strengths
- Early years provision is good with children making strong progress in Nursery and Reception
- Pupils' behaviour around school is good and they are polite and welcoming
- Reading achievement is good across the school
- Well-targeted support helps disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, and English as additional language learners to achieve well
- The curriculum provides interesting experiences that develop pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils' achievement in writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1 and 2 is not high enough
- Teaching is not consistently good enough, especially in Years 1-4, and most-able pupils are not given work that is challenging enough
- Teachers do not always check pupils' understanding before moving on or adapt activities to meet changing needs
- Leaders have not acted quickly enough to improve teaching quality, resulting in the school's overall decline
- Writing and mathematics skills are not reinforced well enough across other subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and meet requirements, with school leaders skilled at identifying pupils at risk and working with local partners.
Extracurricular Activities
Photography, cooking, sporting activities, musical opportunities, cultural experiences, links with a school in Columbia, charity work and fund-raising activities, competitive and informal sports
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School requires improvement overall, having declined from a Good rating at the previous inspection. While early years provision and pupil behaviour are strengths, teaching quality is inconsistent and pupils' achievement in writing and mathematics needs to improve.
At a Glance
22.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 67%. Maths has remained stable at around 77%. Writing has improved from 63% to 67%.
Class Sizes
24.8
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
28.5
KS2
6
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
Commute Calculator
Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply
What are my chances?
Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
95%
Near capacity
199 pupils
210 capacity
11 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Barnsley
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Barnsley
Admissions Demand - Barnsley
Places available
3,009
Applications
2,440
Got 1st preference
96.3%
Got preferred school
99.2%
Primary admissions across Barnsley (2025/26)
Inspection History(109)
House Prices
Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost
SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.39124%
Overall absence
10.43956%
Persistent absence
182
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School
Nearby Schools
Do you work at this school?
Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.