Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School, Sheffield
Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Sheffield. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 20th-highest of the 144 schools in Sheffield with published results, and 1,534th of 14,452 across England. It was 76% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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
Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School in detail
Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "I hope it will provide you with a good insight into our vibrant, happy and outstanding school. St John's is a thriving community that aims high. We are fully committed to ensuring that all children reach their potential and have plenty of opportunities. We celebrate the outcomes and achievements of our wonderful pupils."
The school runs after-school care, from £4.50 per session.
Coming up: an open day on Monday 16 November 2026 at 4pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Barnsley
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 88% of Year 6 pupils at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 92% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 79% in Barnsley and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 64% in reading and 73% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 51 families put Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School as their first choice and 83 named it as one of their preferences, for 51 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School are Springvale Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 90% reading, 93% maths); Thurlstone Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 89% reading, 89% maths); Oxspring Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths); and Millhouse Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 82% reading, 86% maths).
Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Springvale Primary SchoolThurlstone Primary SchoolOxspring Primary SchoolMillhouse Primary School
Who goes there
13.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Penistone Rail Station, about 660 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High Street/Unwin Street (opposite), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 48 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Barnsley (121).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 0.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
The Christian ethos of this school is at the heart of it. The value of kindness is particularly important. Pupils say that bullying does not happen in school because people are kind.
All staff share high expectations for pupils' behaviour. This starts in early years where behaviour is exceptional. Across school, lessons are calm and orderly. Pupils are awarded beads if they enact the school's values. These are highly valued. One pupil spoke for many when they said that achieving beads 'makes us proud'.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Leaders have put in place ambitious curriculum plans. In mathematics, pupils achieve well and develop a love of the subject. Learning is broken down into small steps. This means pupils develop a deep understanding of important mathematical facts. As a result, they are able to complete challenging work with resilience. In early years, there is a highly ambitious curriculum. Careful planning ensures that children thrive, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Curriculum plans in other subjects are beginning to have an impact. These carefully considered plans ensure pupils learn important subject-specific knowledge. 'Project weeks' enable pupils to make links between subjects. This is beginning to help pupils remember and apply their knowledge to new learning. Leaders know that this work needs to continue to help pupils produce their best work.
From Ofsted's July 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Personal development, Early years.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
13.4%
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 improved from 64% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 73% to 92% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 64% to 78% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.6
Avg class size
26.6
Infant (KS1)
28.6
KS2
13
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School
From Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School.
- CampActive (Penistone) Limited - St John's Out Of School ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided 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
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 7 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 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 Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School
Will you get a place at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School.
- Barnsley publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
76%
Available places
480 pupils
630 places
150 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sheffield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sheffield
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(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
63
SEN Support
22
EHC Plans
17.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
493
Total Pupils
253
Boys
240
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
22.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£39,622
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,983
Per pupil
£2606k
Total funding
£91k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.4%
Overall absence
6.1%
Persistent absence
426
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
Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School
Questions parents ask about Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School
What are SATs results like at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Of the pupils at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 88% reached the expected standard in reading and 92% did so in maths.
What is Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2013 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided 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 Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 76% of its 630 places.
How big are the classes at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Classes at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School average 27.6 pupils (2025/26). 4 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School has around 493 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School?
3.4% of sessions were missed at Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School in 2024/25. 6.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Apply through Barnsley's coordinated admissions process, naming Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided 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.
Does Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: CampActive (Penistone) Limited - St John's Out Of School Club (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 7 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 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 Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School is at High Street, Penistone, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S36 6BS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)