Academy sponsor led · Barnsley

Gooseacre Primary Academy

2–11Ages
378Pupils
PrimaryPhase
138415URN

Gooseacre Avenue, Off Merrill Road, Thurnscoe, Rotherham, S63 0NU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2025 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

1.6per place

0.4 below Barnsley median (1.9)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Barnsley

78 applications for 50 places · 65th of 72 in Barnsley

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

69%met the expected standard

Barnsley 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 11 March 2025Ofsted'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

1.6applications per place, Reception

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

78 applications · 50 places offered · 53 named it first

2026 1.6; Barnsley median median 1.9
2025 1.5; Barnsley median median 2.0
2024 1.5; Barnsley median median 2.0
2023 1.7; Barnsley median median 2.0
2022 1.5; Barnsley median median 1.7
2021 1.4; Barnsley median median 1.7
2020 1.4; Barnsley median median 1.7
2019 1.5; Barnsley median median 1.7
2018 1.5; Barnsley median median 1.8
2017 1.3; Barnsley median median 1.7
2016 1.8; Barnsley median median 2.0
2015 1.9; Barnsley median median 2.0
2014 1.9; 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	50	78	1.6	53	1.06
Sep 2025	50	75	1.5	55	1.10
Sep 2024	50	77	1.5	50	1.00
Sep 2023	48	79	1.7	47	0.98
Sep 2022	41	61	1.5	41	1.00
Sep 2021	50	70	1.4	55	1.10
Sep 2020	50	68	1.4	54	1.08
Sep 2019	28	41	1.5	25	0.89
Sep 2018	34	51	1.5	34	1.00
Sep 2017	45	58	1.3	44	0.98
Sep 2016	33	60	1.8	28	0.85
Sep 2015	28	52	1.9	28	1.00
Sep 2014	35	66	1.9	35	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 71% · Writing 71% · Maths 74% → all three 69% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard69%29th of 72 in Barnsley

Barnsley 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard71%

Barnsley 76% England 78%

Higher standard23%

Barnsley 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard71%

Barnsley 74% England 75%

Greater depth3%

Barnsley 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard74%

Barnsley 80% England 77%

Higher standard14%

Barnsley 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	69%	3%	103	103
2023/24	55%	0%	104	104
2022/23	44%	2%	101	101

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

Gooseacre Primary AcademyThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
The Hill Primary Academy
1.5 km · Barnsley

Good2023

1.5applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Sandhill Primary School
1.9 km · Barnsley

Good2024

1.2applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
1.9 km · Barnsley

Some aspects not as strong2025

1.9applications per place 35%met the SATs standard
Highgate Primary Academy
1.9 km · Barnsley

Remains Good2022

2.6applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Goldthorpe Primary Academy
2.2 km · Barnsley

Good2023

1.7applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Carrfield Primary Academy
2.9 km · Barnsley

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Heather Garth Primary School Academy
3.1 km · Barnsley

2026

2.3applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Lacewood Primary School
3.4 km · Barnsley

Good2023

2.9applications per place 67%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: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 138415 · 370/2010
Trust: Astrea Academy Trust
Capacity: 268 pupils · 378 on roll
Free school meals: 41.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2012
Replaced: Gooseacre Primary School (URN 106559)
Address: Gooseacre Avenue, Off Merrill Road, Thurnscoe, Rotherham, S63 0NU
Local authority: Barnsley

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