Outwood Academy Carlton, Barnsley

In 2026, pupils at Outwood Academy Carlton averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 41.8 in Barnsley and 47 across England.

49% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Barnsley and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 41.5.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.25: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 36.4, against 45.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 200 families put Outwood Academy Carlton as their first choice and 392 named it as one of their preferences, for 209 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Outwood Academy Carlton are Holy Trinity Catholic and Church of England School (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.2); Outwood Academy Shafton (1.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.3); Horizon Community College (3.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49); and Barnsley Academy (3.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.6).

Outwood Academy Carlton's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Outwood Academy Carlton is one of 40 schools run by Outwood Grange Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.4 in 2024/25.

96 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Outwood Academy Carlton (as of September 2025): 60% would recommend the school, 72% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (76%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).

Of the 219 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 69% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 65% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 9% into work.

38% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 137 pupils (12.4%) received SEN support and 81 (7.3%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.

Outwood Academy Carlton has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 25 places, 25 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Barnsley Rail Station, about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Royston Lane/Cronkhill Lane (adjacent), 30 metres away.

In 2024/25, Outwood Academy Carlton issued 870 suspensions, 77 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 6 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Outwood Academy Carlton are Carlton Primary Academy (0.3 miles), Royston St John Baptist CE Primary (0.7 miles), Parkside Primary Academy (0.7 miles) and Lift Meadstead (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.