Community school · Barnsley

Birkwood Primary School

3–11Ages
432Pupils
PrimaryPhase
106620URN

Darfield Road, Cudworth, Barnsley, S72 8HG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

close to Barnsley median (1.9)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Barnsley

112 applications for 59 places · 39th of 72 in Barnsley

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

61%met the expected standard

Barnsley 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 10 December 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.9applications per place, Reception

close to Barnsley median (1.9) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

112 applications · 59 places offered · 61 named it first

2026 1.9; Barnsley median median 1.9
2025 2.0; Barnsley median median 2.0
2024 1.9; Barnsley median median 2.0
2023 1.9; Barnsley median median 2.0
2022 1.6; Barnsley median median 1.7
2021 2.1; Barnsley median median 1.7
2020 2.2; Barnsley median median 1.7
2019 2.1; Barnsley median median 1.7
2018 2.0; Barnsley median median 1.8
2017 2.0; Barnsley median median 1.7
2016 2.0; Barnsley median median 2.0
2015 1.6; Barnsley median median 2.0
2014 2.2; Barnsley median median 2.2

This school
Barnsley median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	59	112	1.9	61	1.03
Sep 2025	59	115	2.0	60	1.02
Sep 2024	48	92	1.9	44	0.92
Sep 2023	58	109	1.9	64	1.10
Sep 2022	53	82	1.6	52	0.98
Sep 2021	40	82	2.1	43	1.08
Sep 2020	39	84	2.2	51	1.31
Sep 2019	37	79	2.1	46	1.24
Sep 2018	40	78	2.0	46	1.15
Sep 2017	40	80	2.0	38	0.95
Sep 2016	40	79	2.0	45	1.13
Sep 2015	40	64	1.6	41	1.02
Sep 2014	39	86	2.2	52	1.33

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 70% · Maths 73% → all three 61% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard61%54th of 72 in Barnsley

Barnsley 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard75%

Barnsley 76% England 78%

Higher standard25%

Barnsley 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard70%

Barnsley 74% England 75%

Greater depth14%

Barnsley 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard73%

Barnsley 80% England 77%

Higher standard27%

Barnsley 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Barnsley median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	61%	9%	104	104
2023/24	75%	8%	105	107
2022/23	70%	4%	104	105

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Birkwood Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.9applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Churchfield Primary School
1.0 km · Barnsley

Good2024

2.4applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Milefield Primary School
1.7 km · Barnsley

Good2024

1.4applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Cherry Dale Primary School
1.7 km · Barnsley

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.6applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Ladywood Primary School
2.5 km · Barnsley

Remains Good2023

1.8applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
Outwood Primary Academy Littleworth Grange
2.6 km · Barnsley

Remains Good2024

1.3applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Lift St Helen's
2.6 km · Barnsley

Good2024

2.3applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Lift Shafton
2.6 km · Barnsley

Improved significantly2024

2.1applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Carlton Primary Academy
3.0 km · Barnsley

Good2023

1.9applications per place 64%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 106620 · 370/2132
Capacity: 339 pupils · 432 on roll
Free school meals: 32.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Darfield Road, Cudworth, Barnsley, S72 8HG
Local authority: Barnsley

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources