West Meadows Primary School, Barnsley
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 8 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
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
40.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 44% to 69%. Maths has improved from 59% to 72%. Writing has remained stable at around 66%.
Class Sizes
22.4
Avg class size
25.0
Infant (KS1)
29.5
KS2
9
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
102%
Over capacity
214 pupils
210 capacity
4 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(6)
House Prices
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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
7.39529%
Overall absence
21.71429%
Persistent absence
175
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
West Meadows Primary School
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