Holy Rood Catholic Primary School, Barnsley
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Barnsley. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 45th-highest of the 60 schools in Barnsley with published results, and 9,595th of 14,452 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Barnsley (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School in detail
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "It gives me great pleasure to introduce myself as the Headteacher of Holy Rood Catholic Primary School. I am incredibly proud to be Headteacher of such a fantastic school and I hope to continue to develop the opportunities, life skills and academic success for all of our wonderful children."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, running, dance, choir, STEM, cooking and art.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 77% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 79% in Barnsley and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (67% in reading, 74% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 18 families put Holy Rood Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 35 named it as one of their preferences, for 21 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holy Rood Catholic Primary School are Shawlands Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 77% reading, 73% maths); Joseph Locke Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 79% reading, 80% maths); St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Barnsley (0.4 miles, Good, 69% reading, 69% maths); and Summer Lane Primary (0.6 miles).
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Shawlands Primary SchoolJoseph Locke Primary SchoolSt Mary's Church of England Primary School, BarnsleySummer Lane Primary
Who goes there
58.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (35%), Asian (13%) and Black (12%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Barnsley Rail Station, about 1150 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Shaw Lane/Lancaster Street (at), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 588 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
In 2024/25, Holy Rood Catholic Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Holy Rood Catholic Primary School are Trinity Academy St. Edwards (0.3 miles) and Horizon Community College (0.5 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2019, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Holy Rood provides a warm, supportive environment where children develop strong values of kindness and respect. Teachers focus on building spoken language skills, which helps all learners succeed, and the school has created a real love of reading with books available everywhere. Children develop independence and resilience through carefully designed activities, from painting in Nursery to residential trips in Year 6.
Key Strengths
- Strong emphasis on spoken language development across all subjects, helping all pupils including those learning English as an additional language
- Excellent reading culture with daily phonics sessions and quick identification of pupils falling behind
- Positive behaviour and independent learning fostered from Nursery through Year 6
- High expectations and school values lived throughout the school day
- Effective teaching in mathematics with careful questioning and regular checks on progress
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment systems in wider curriculum subjects are new and not yet used effectively by subject leaders to evaluate what pupils know and can do
- School needs to develop clearer oversight of curriculum impact across all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Subject ambassador roles, school council positions, sporting competitions, residential trips, well-being ambassadors
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School has maintained its good standards since the previous inspection in 2019. The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well, with positive relationships, calm behaviour, and a clear focus on continuous improvement.
At a Glance
21.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 77% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 63% to 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.9
Avg class size
26.0
Infant (KS1)
29.3
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Holy Rood Catholic Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Holy Rood Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holy Rood Catholic Primary 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
- 21
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 15 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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
Your chances of a place at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Holy Rood Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Holy Rood Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Holy Rood Catholic Primary School.
- Barnsley publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Holy Rood Catholic Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Barnsley got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
95%
Near capacity
199 pupils
210 places
11 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Barnsley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barnsley
Across Barnsley council
Places available
2,979
Applications
2,423
Got 1st preference
95.7%
Got preferred school
99.2%
All primary applications across Barnsley council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(9)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
28
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
18.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
199
Total Pupils
97
Boys
102
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
18.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,391
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,811
Per pupil
£1264k
Total funding
£47k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.4%
Overall absence
10.4%
Persistent absence
182
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about Holy Rood Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 77% did so in maths.
What is Holy Rood Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Holy Rood Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Holy Rood Catholic Primary School is oversubscribed, Barnsley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School?
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School?
Classes at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School average 24.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Holy Rood Catholic Primary School?
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School has around 199 pupils on roll. 22% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School?
4.4% of sessions were missed at Holy Rood Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 10.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Holy Rood Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Barnsley's coordinated admissions process, naming Holy Rood Catholic Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Holy Rood Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 15 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Holy Rood Catholic Primary School?
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School is at Shaw Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 6JL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)