Springwell Special Academy, Barnsley
Springwell Special Academy is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Barnsley, part of Wellspring Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2022.
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Springwell Special Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Springwell Special Academy are Waterton Newstead Academy (1.2 miles, Good); Greenacre School (2.6 miles, Outstanding); West Riding Academy (2.9 miles); and Camphill Wakefield (Pennine Camphill Community Ltd) (4.7 miles, Requires improvement).
Waterton Newstead AcademyGreenacre SchoolWest Riding AcademyCamphill Wakefield (Pennine Camphill Community Ltd)
The trust
Springwell Special Academy is one of 33 schools run by Wellspring Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 20 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 65% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 30% to a further education college.
Who goes there
75.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Springwell Special Academy has an education, health and care plan (136 of 136 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Springwell Special Academy provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Barnsley Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Carlton Road/St Helens Boulevard (opposite), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Springwell Special Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 3rd decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 194 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. 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, Springwell Special Academy issued 4 suspensions, 3.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; 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 · 5 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
75.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 10% to 0% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Springwell Special Academy
Before and after school care
Springwell Special Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Barnsley
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Springwell Special Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Springwell Special Academy 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
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
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, 3 serious and 9 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
103%
Over capacity
136 pupils
132 places
4 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Barnsley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barnsley
Across Barnsley council
Places available
2,717
Applications
2,653
Got 1st preference
91.0%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All secondary applications across Barnsley council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
136
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Springwell Special Academy provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
136
Total Pupils
127
Boys
9
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
9.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,532
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
29.3%
Overall absence
57.2%
Persistent absence
138
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Springwell Special Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Springwell Special Academy
What are GCSE results like at Springwell Special Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Springwell Special Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 4. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Springwell Special Academy's Ofsted rating?
Springwell Special Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2012 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Springwell Special Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Springwell Special Academy is oversubscribed, Barnsley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Springwell Special Academy?
Springwell Special Academy has around 136 pupils on roll. 76% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Springwell Special Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Springwell Special Academy provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Springwell Special Academy?
29.3% of sessions were missed at Springwell Special Academy in 2024/25. 57.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Springwell Special Academy?
Apply through Barnsley's coordinated admissions process, naming Springwell Special Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Springwell Special Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Springwell Special Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Springwell Special Academy?
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, 3 serious and 9 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 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 Springwell Special Academy?
Springwell Special Academy is at St Helen's Boulevard, Carlton Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S71 2AY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)