Upperwood Academy, Barnsley
Upperwood Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Barnsley, part of Hcat. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 38th-highest of the 60 schools in Barnsley with published results, and 8,749th of 14,452 across England. It was 92% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Barnsley (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Upperwood Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils at Upperwood Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 79% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 79% in Barnsley and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 80% in reading and 78% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Upperwood Academy
For September 2026 entry, 32 families put Upperwood Academy as their first choice and 57 named it as one of their preferences, for 33 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Upperwood Academy are Outwood Primary Academy Darfield (0.4 miles, Good, 76% reading, 86% maths); St Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 70% reading, 60% maths); All Saints Academy Darfield (0.7 miles, Requires improvement, 71% reading, 71% maths); and Wombwell Park Street Primary School (1.3 miles, Good, 73% reading, 84% maths).
Upperwood Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Outwood Primary Academy DarfieldSt Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary SchoolAll Saints Academy DarfieldWombwell Park Street Primary School
The trust
Upperwood Academy is one of 14 schools run by Hcat, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
41 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Upperwood Academy (as of September 2025): 83% would recommend the school, 88% 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 (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
2.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 44 pupils (14.8%) received SEN support and 8 (2.7%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Wombwell Rail Station, about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barnsley Road/Roundwood Way (adjacent), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Upperwood Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from July 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
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, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 80% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 79% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 82% to 76% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.0
Avg class size
22.4
Infant (KS1)
30.5
KS2
9
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Upperwood Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Upperwood Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Upperwood 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
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 3 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 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
Your chances of a place at Upperwood Academy
Will you get a place at Upperwood Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Upperwood Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Upperwood Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Upperwood Academy.
- Barnsley publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Upperwood Academy that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Upperwood Academy 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
92%
Near capacity
289 pupils
315 places
26 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Barnsley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barnsley
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(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
44
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
17.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
298
Total Pupils
154
Boys
144
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
21.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,292
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,491
Per pupil
£1820k
Total funding
£136k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5%
Overall absence
8.8%
Persistent absence
250
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
Upperwood Academy
Questions parents ask about Upperwood Academy
What are SATs results like at Upperwood Academy?
Of the pupils at Upperwood Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 69% reached the expected standard in reading and 79% did so in maths.
What is Upperwood Academy's Ofsted rating?
Upperwood Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Upperwood Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Upperwood Academy is oversubscribed, Barnsley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Upperwood Academy?
Upperwood Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 92% of its 315 places.
How big are the classes at Upperwood Academy?
Classes at Upperwood Academy average 26 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Upperwood Academy?
Upperwood Academy has around 298 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Upperwood Academy?
4.5% of sessions were missed at Upperwood Academy in 2024/25. 8.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Upperwood Academy?
Apply through Barnsley's coordinated admissions process, naming Upperwood Academy 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.
How many road collisions happen near Upperwood Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 3 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 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 Upperwood Academy?
Upperwood Academy is at Dartree Walk, Darfield, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S73 9NL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)