West Riding Academy, Barnsley
West Riding Academy is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Barnsley, part of Nexus Multi Academy Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
West Riding Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to West Riding Academy are Greenacre School (2.2 miles, Outstanding); Springwell Special Academy (2.9 miles, Good); Park House School (3.1 miles); and Waterton Newstead Academy (3.9 miles, Good).
Greenacre SchoolSpringwell Special AcademyPark House SchoolWaterton Newstead Academy
The trust
West Riding Academy is one of 23 schools run by Nexus Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Wombwell Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ardsley Road/Allendale (adjacent), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood West Riding Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 189 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Barnsley (121), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
No inspection data available
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with West Riding Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to West Riding Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. West Riding 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
- 32
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 32 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 22 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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
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.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
West Riding Academy
Showing 10 of 11 linked schools
Questions parents ask about West Riding Academy
What is the catchment area for West Riding Academy?
No fixed boundary. When West Riding Academy is oversubscribed, Barnsley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to West Riding Academy?
Apply through Barnsley's coordinated admissions process, naming West Riding 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.
How many road collisions happen near West Riding Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 32 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 22 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Riding Academy?
West Riding Academy is at Ardsley Road, Barnsley, S70 4RG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)