Upperwood Academy, Barnsley
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Upperwood Academy creates a warm, respectful environment where children feel safe and happy. The school offers an ambitious curriculum covering all subjects plus a rich range of enrichment activities from sports and arts to educational visits. Staff are well-trained and highly committed, particularly in the early years and reading support.
Key Strengths
- Warm, respectful relationships between staff and pupils with clear behaviour expectations based on the school's '100% safe, 100% kind and 100% effort' values
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum that has been renewed to increase knowledge, skills and ambition across subjects
- Excellent early years provision with highly trained staff who skilfully develop children's communication, language and independence
- Strong reading programme with effective interventions, and pupils who enjoy reading and learn quickly in early reading stages
- Wide range of personal development experiences organised across five strands including sports, arts, community links and educational visits
Areas for Improvement
- Some lesson activities lack clear enough purpose, preventing pupils from reinforcing intended learning and affecting achievement
- Adaptations to support pupils with SEND are not always as effective as they could be, sometimes preventing secure learning of new concepts
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with clear systems in place to keep pupils safe.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, reading ambassador roles, educational visits (e.g. local sculpture park), sports, arts performance
Upperwood Academy has maintained its good standards since the previous inspection. Pupils enjoy attending the school, feel safe and happy, and benefit from an ambitious, well-thought-through curriculum.
At a Glance
29.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
41 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 80% to 69%. Maths has remained stable at around 79%. Writing has declined from 82% to 76%.
Class Sizes
26.6
Avg class size
24.4
Infant (KS1)
28.5
KS2
11
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
Commute Calculator
Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply
What are my chances?
Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
118%
Over capacity
298 pupils
252 capacity
46 places over capacity
Area Demand Pressure - Barnsley
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Barnsley
Admissions Demand - Barnsley
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(3)
House Prices
Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost
SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.45715%
Overall absence
8.8%
Persistent absence
250
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Upperwood Academy
Nearby Schools
Do you work at this school?
Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.