Academy sponsor led · Barnsley

Lift St Helen's

3–11Ages
183Pupils
PrimaryPhase
139006URN

St Helen's Way, Monk Bretton, Barnsley, S71 2PS

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.3per place

0.3 above Barnsley median (1.9)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Barnsley

36 applications for 16 places · 20th of 72 in Barnsley

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

62%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 · 23 January 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
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

2.3applications per place, Reception

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

36 applications · 16 places offered · 16 named it first

2026 2.3; Barnsley median median 1.9
2025 2.6; Barnsley median median 2.0
2024 1.5; Barnsley median median 2.0
2023 1.9; Barnsley median median 2.0
2022 1.4; Barnsley median median 1.7
2021 1.3; Barnsley median median 1.7
2020 1.3; Barnsley median median 1.7
2019 1.1; Barnsley median median 1.7
2018 1.4; Barnsley median median 1.8
2017 1.4; Barnsley median median 1.7
2016 1.4; Barnsley median median 2.0
2015 1.1; Barnsley median median 2.0
2014 1.0; 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	16	36	2.3	16	1.00
Sep 2025	15	39	2.6	15	1.00
Sep 2024	19	29	1.5	18	0.95
Sep 2023	23	43	1.9	23	1.00
Sep 2022	20	28	1.4	16	0.80
Sep 2021	18	23	1.3	16	0.89
Sep 2020	23	30	1.3	19	0.83
Sep 2019	23	26	1.1	18	0.78
Sep 2018	32	44	1.4	29	0.91
Sep 2017	36	50	1.4	33	0.92
Sep 2016	44	61	1.4	40	0.91
Sep 2015	40	42	1.1	25	0.63
Sep 2014	45	45	1.0	28	0.62

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 72% · Writing 76% · Maths 76% → all three 62% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard62%52nd of 72 in Barnsley

Barnsley 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard72%

Barnsley 76% England 78%

Higher standard24%

Barnsley 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard76%

Barnsley 74% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Barnsley 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard76%

Barnsley 80% England 77%

Higher standard10%

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	62%	0%	104	103
2023/24	53%	0%	101	101
2022/23	34%	6%	99	98

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

Lift St Helen'sThis school
This school

Good2024

2.3applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Outwood Primary Academy Littleworth Grange
1.3 km · Barnsley

Remains Good2024

1.3applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Carlton Primary Academy
1.5 km · Barnsley

Good2023

1.9applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Burton Road Primary School
1.6 km · Barnsley

Remains Good2023

1.7applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Athersley South Primary School
1.9 km · Barnsley

Standards maintained2024

2.2applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Laithes Primary School
2.1 km · Barnsley

2026

2.0applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Churchfield Primary School
2.3 km · Barnsley

Good2024

2.4applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Birkwood Primary School
2.6 km · Barnsley

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.9applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Queens Road Academy
2.6 km · Barnsley

Remains Good2022

1.7applications per place 54%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: 139006 · 370/2016
Trust: Lift Schools
Capacity: 280 pupils · 183 on roll
Free school meals: 35.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 December 2012
Replaced: St Helen's Primary School (URN 106616)
Address: St Helen's Way, Monk Bretton, Barnsley, S71 2PS
Local authority: Barnsley

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