Voluntary aided school · Barnsley

Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary School

3–11Ages
493Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
136941URN

High Street, Penistone, Sheffield, S36 6BS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

0.3 below Barnsley median (1.9)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Barnsley

83 applications for 51 places · 62nd of 72 in Barnsley

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

74%met the expected standard

Barnsley 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 2 July 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision	Outstanding

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

1.6applications per place, Reception

0.3 below Barnsley median (1.9) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

83 applications · 51 places offered · 51 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.6; Barnsley median median 1.9
2025 1.6; Barnsley median median 2.0
2024 1.5; Barnsley median median 2.0
2023 1.4; Barnsley median median 2.0
2022 1.3; Barnsley median median 1.7
2021 1.3; Barnsley median median 1.7
2020 1.4; Barnsley median median 1.7
2019 1.4; Barnsley median median 1.7
2018 1.6; Barnsley median median 1.8
2017 1.4; Barnsley median median 1.7
2016 1.5; Barnsley median median 2.0
2015 1.5; Barnsley median median 2.0
2014 1.6; Barnsley median median 2.2

More applications per place than the Barnsley median in 0 of 13 years.

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	51	83	1.6	51	1.00
Sep 2025	38	62	1.6	38	1.00
Sep 2024	59	87	1.5	58	0.98
Sep 2023	65	88	1.4	58	0.89
Sep 2022	61	81	1.3	60	0.98
Sep 2021	80	102	1.3	77	0.96
Sep 2020	66	95	1.4	64	0.97
Sep 2019	54	76	1.4	44	0.81
Sep 2018	65	102	1.6	62	0.95
Sep 2017	78	111	1.4	75	0.96
Sep 2016	78	119	1.5	72	0.92
Sep 2015	75	113	1.5	66	0.88
Sep 2014	58	90	1.6	50	0.86

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 88% · Writing 78% · Maths 92% → all three 74% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard74%22nd of 72 in Barnsley

Barnsley 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard88%

Barnsley 76% England 78%

Higher standard38%

Barnsley 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard78%

Barnsley 74% England 75%

Greater depth14%

Barnsley 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard92%

Barnsley 80% England 77%

Higher standard39%

Barnsley 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (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	74%	13%	107	108
2023/24	55%	1%	104	103
2022/23	66%	9%	105	107

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

Penistone St John's Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

1.6applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Springvale Primary School
1.2 km · Barnsley

Remains Good2023

3.0applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Thurlstone Primary School
1.5 km · Barnsley

Good2023

1.9applications per place 37%met the SATs standard
Oxspring Primary School
2.5 km · Barnsley

Remains Good2024

2.8applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Millhouse Primary School
2.7 km · Barnsley

Good2023

2.2applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Hoylandswaine Primary School
2.9 km · Barnsley

Special measures Inadequate2022

2.5applications per place 85%met the SATs standard
Thurgoland Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School
4.6 km · Barnsley

Good2022

2.0applications per place 87%met the SATs standard
Denby Church of England Voluntary Aided First School
4.6 km · Kirklees

2026

2.5applications per place
Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School
5.0 km · Barnsley

Good2022

2.8applications per place 84%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 136941 · 370/2000
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 600 pupils · 493 on roll
Free school meals: 14.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 January 2012
Address: High Street, Penistone, Sheffield, S36 6BS
Local authority: Barnsley

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