Lift Meadstead, Barnsley
Lift Meadstead is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Barnsley, part of Lift Schools. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 43rd-highest of the 60 schools in Barnsley with published results, and 9,159th of 14,452 across England. It was 91% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Barnsley (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Lift Meadstead in detail
Lift Meadstead in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at Lift Meadstead reached the expected standard in reading and 71% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 79% in Barnsley and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 87% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Lift Meadstead
For September 2026 entry, 26 families put Lift Meadstead as their first choice and 52 named it as one of their preferences, for 27 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Lift Meadstead are Summerfields Primary Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 91% reading, 100% maths); Parkside Primary Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 83% reading, 83% maths); Royston St John Baptist CE Primary (0.4 miles, Good, 70% reading, 60% maths); and Carlton Primary Academy (1.1 miles, Good, 90% reading, 74% maths).
Lift Meadstead's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Summerfields Primary AcademyParkside Primary AcademyRoyston St John Baptist CE PrimaryCarlton Primary Academy
The trust
Lift Meadstead is one of 62 schools run by Lift Schools, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 79% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
18 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Lift Meadstead (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
40.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 1.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 52 pupils (24.2%) received SEN support and 17 (7.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Lift Meadstead has a resourced provision for autism: 12 places, 12 pupils on roll.
Staffing
Lift Meadstead had 12 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Darton Rail Station, about 3 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High Street/Hallcroft Rise (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Lift Meadstead stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Lift Meadstead issued 6 suspensions, 2.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Lift Meadstead are Outwood Academy Carlton (0.8 miles) and Holy Trinity Catholic and Church of England School (1.4 miles).
Outwood Academy CarltonHoly Trinity Catholic and Church of England School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Your child will learn to read quickly with expert phonics teaching and get help if they need extra practice. The school offers a well-thought-out curriculum with meaningful enrichment activities like beach visits and rock band opportunities. Staff care deeply about your child's wellbeing and behavior, creating a safe, welcoming community where children feel valued.
Key Strengths
- Strong teaching of phonics and reading support, ensuring pupils quickly learn to read and keep up with peers
- Well-designed, broad and ambitious curriculum that prepares pupils effectively for secondary school
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND, including those in the specialist provision
- Positive behavior culture with 'Bumble's behaviours' helping pupils engage well in lessons
- Enriching experiences through the '50 Meadstead Memories Passport' including visits and special opportunities
Areas for Improvement
- Some lesson activities do not help pupils make meaningful connections between new learning and what they already know
- Early years activities sometimes lack clear purpose and are not well matched to children's age and stage of development
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Beach visits, rock band, eco warriors, play leaders
Meadstead Primary Academy is a safe and welcoming school where relationships between staff and pupils are strong. The school has rapidly improved and now provides good quality education across all areas.
At a Glance
40.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
18 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 87% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 83% to 71% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 83% to 68% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.3
Avg class size
24.3
Infant (KS1)
28.5
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Lift Meadstead
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Lift Meadstead.
- Cool Kidz MeadsteadAt the school · Not yet graded
- Cool Kidz R Us Ltd730m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Lift Meadstead from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Lift Meadstead 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
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 11 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
2 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 Lift Meadstead
Will you get a place at Lift Meadstead? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Lift Meadstead's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Lift Meadstead:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Lift Meadstead.
- Barnsley publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Lift Meadstead that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Lift Meadstead 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
91%
Near capacity
191 pupils
210 places
19 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(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
52
SEN Support
17
EHC Plans
32.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Lift Meadstead has a resourced provision for autism: 12 places, 12 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
215
Total Pupils
115
Boys
100
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
17.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,830
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,850
Per pupil
£1297k
Total funding
£124k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
12.6%
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
Lift Meadstead
Questions parents ask about Lift Meadstead
What are SATs results like at Lift Meadstead?
Of the pupils at Lift Meadstead who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% reached the expected standard in reading and 71% did so in maths.
What is Lift Meadstead's Ofsted rating?
Lift Meadstead's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Lift Meadstead?
No fixed boundary. When Lift Meadstead is oversubscribed, Barnsley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Lift Meadstead?
Lift Meadstead was not full in 2025: it ran at 91% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Lift Meadstead?
Classes at Lift Meadstead average 26.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Lift Meadstead?
Lift Meadstead has around 215 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Lift Meadstead have specialist SEN provision?
Lift Meadstead has a resourced provision for autism: 12 places, 12 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Lift Meadstead?
5.5% of sessions were missed at Lift Meadstead in 2024/25. 12.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Lift Meadstead?
Apply through Barnsley's coordinated admissions process, naming Lift Meadstead 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.
Does Lift Meadstead have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Cool Kidz Meadstead (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Lift Meadstead?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 11 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 2 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 Lift Meadstead?
Lift Meadstead is at Meadstead Drive, Royston, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S71 4JS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)