Lift Meadstead, Barnsley

Requires Improvement
Primary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~480m)Possible (~686m)Unlikely (~892m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Lee Bell
Pupils:215 / 210 capacity
LA:Barnsley
Phone:01226722153
Address:Meadstead Drive, Royston, Barnsley, S71 4JS
Trust:LIFT SCHOOLS
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 June 2013

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 7 May 2025View full report
URN:139132
UKPRN:10039907
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Barnsley North
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

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

43.9%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

18 responses
Would recommend94%
Child is happy94%
Well taught100%
Good progress100%
Feels safe100%
Well behaved100%
Bullying dealt with11%
Kept informed89%
Handles concerns67%
Wider development94%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-12ppMaths-12ppWriting-15pp

Reading has declined from 87% to 75%. Maths has declined from 83% to 71%. Writing has declined from 83% to 68%.

Class Sizes

25.3

Avg class size

25.3

Infant (KS1)

27.7

KS2

7

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

High Street/Hallcroft Rise (opp)
101m · 2 min walk
High Street/Oakwood Road (at)
112m · 2 min walk
Meadstead Drive/Doles Avenue (opp)
142m · 2 min walk
High Street/Summer Lane (opp)
240m · 4 min walk
Meadstead Drive/Manor Grove (adj)
261m · 4 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

102%

Over capacity

215 pupils

210 capacity

5 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Barnsley

High pressure
New homes approved:3,063
Projected new pupils:766

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Barnsley

Admissions Demand - Barnsley

Low demand0.81x oversubscription

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(5)

7 May 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsGood
11 April 2024
15 November 2022
Requires ImprovementReport
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement
Early YearsRequires Improvement

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.53864%

Overall absence

12.63736%

Persistent absence

182

Enrolments

Authorised2.92936%
Unauthorised2.60928%
Persistent (10%+)12.63736%
Severe (50%+)1.0989%

Absence trend

3.4666%
18/19
3.65606%
20/21
3.83505%
21/22
4.09449%
22/23
4.63503%
23/24
5.53864%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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