West Meadows Primary School, Barnsley
West Meadows Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Barnsley, part of Hcat. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2011. That was 15 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 49th-highest of the 60 schools in Barnsley with published results, and 10,218th of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
West Meadows Primary School in detail
West Meadows Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "At West Meadows Primary School we are committed to British Values and equipping our pupils with the skills they will need to take their place in a multi-cultural, multi-faith community in today’s Britain. We are keen to promote equal opportunity for all regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, political or financial status."
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is a pleasure to welcome you to West Meadows Primary School. As Executive Headteacher, I am very proud to serve our students, parents, staff and community partners."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils at West Meadows Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 72% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 79% in Barnsley and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 44% in reading and 59% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at West Meadows Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 21 families put West Meadows Primary School as their first choice and 44 named it as one of their preferences, for 21 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 West Meadows Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to West Meadows Primary School are St Helen's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 73% reading, 82% maths); Hoyland Common Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 83% reading, 78% maths); Hoyland Springwood Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 67% reading, 48% maths); and Greenfield Primary School (1 mile).
West Meadows Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
St Helen's Catholic Primary SchoolHoyland Common Primary SchoolHoyland Springwood Primary SchoolGreenfield Primary School
The trust
West Meadows Primary School 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
30 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about West Meadows Primary School (as of April 2026): 47% would recommend the school, 77% say their child is happy there and 29% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (80%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (27%).
Who goes there
39.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 0.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Elsecar Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hoyland Road/Fearnley Road (adjacent), 220 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, West Meadows Primary School issued 5 suspensions, 2.3 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 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 · 9 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
West Meadows is led by new leadership with a clear commitment to improvement and pupil wellbeing. The school has redesigned its curriculum to be broad, balanced and ambitious, and has strengthened support for vulnerable pupils including those with special educational needs. Staff are receiving training to improve teaching quality, and the school has launched new enrichment activities and residential visits to broaden pupils' experiences.
Key Strengths
- New leadership has quickly implemented positive changes with clear systems for school improvement
- Safeguarding culture is open and positive with all legal requirements met
- Well-sequenced, ambitious and balanced curriculum that has been recently redesigned and strengthened
- Strong support systems for vulnerable pupils including those with SEND and disadvantaged learners
- Behaviour is generally calm and bullying is rare and not tolerated
Areas for Improvement
- Achievement in national tests remains below average in some areas, with phonics outcomes declining
- Overall school attendance is below the national average, though recent strategies are beginning to show improvement
- Teaching quality is variable - staff do not consistently check pupil understanding before moving to next topics, leaving gaps in foundational knowledge
- Implementation of curriculum and early years provision is inconsistent across classrooms
- Uptake of enrichment and extra-curricular activities is limited, particularly among disadvantaged pupils
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Residential visits, Crucial Crew workshops, educational visits, sports activities, arts performance, community links, extra-curricular clubs
West Meadows Primary School is an improving school under new leadership with a clear moral purpose, though it currently requires attention across several areas including achievement, attendance, and consistent teaching quality.
At a Glance
39.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
30 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 44% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 59% to 72% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 66% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
22.8
Avg class size
24.5
Infant (KS1)
28.8
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with West Meadows Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to West Meadows Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. West Meadows 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
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 4 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
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 West Meadows Primary School
Will you get a place at West Meadows Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against West Meadows Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for West Meadows Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to West Meadows Primary School.
- Barnsley publishes last distance offered figures, but none for West Meadows Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at West Meadows 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
93%
Near capacity
196 pupils
210 places
14 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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
22.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
214
Total Pupils
110
Boys
104
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
19.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,039
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,790
Per pupil
£1313k
Total funding
£124k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.4%
Overall absence
21.7%
Persistent absence
175
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
West Meadows Primary School
Questions parents ask about West Meadows Primary School
What are SATs results like at West Meadows Primary School?
Of the pupils at West Meadows Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 69% reached the expected standard in reading and 72% did so in maths.
What is West Meadows Primary School's Ofsted rating?
West Meadows Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for West Meadows Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When West Meadows 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 West Meadows Primary School?
West Meadows Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at West Meadows Primary School?
Classes at West Meadows Primary School average 22.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to West Meadows Primary School?
West Meadows Primary School has around 214 pupils on roll. 40% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at West Meadows Primary School?
7.4% of sessions were missed at West Meadows Primary School in 2024/25. 21.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to West Meadows Primary School?
Apply through Barnsley's coordinated admissions process, naming West Meadows 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.
How many road collisions happen near West Meadows Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 4 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 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 West Meadows Primary School?
West Meadows Primary School is at West Street, Hoyland, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S74 9ET.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)