Academy sponsor led · Barnsley

Laithes Primary School

3–11Ages
308Pupils
PrimaryPhase
141974URN

Laithes Lane, Smithies, Barnsley, S71 3AF · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected May 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.0per place

close to Barnsley median (1.9)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Barnsley

63 applications for 32 places · 35th of 72 in Barnsley

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

68%met the expected standard

Barnsley 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 19 May 2026Published 12 July 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard	Expected standard
Inclusion		Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching		Strong standard
Achievement		Strong standard
Attendance and behaviour			Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Early years		Strong standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Strong standard

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

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

19 May 2026
Report card · 6 Strong standard, 1 Expected standard
22 March 2022
Graded inspection: 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

2.0applications per place, Reception

close to Barnsley median (1.9) 0.2 below England median (2.2)

63 applications · 32 places offered · 32 named it first

2026 2.0; Barnsley median median 1.9
2025 2.1; Barnsley median median 2.0
2024 2.4; Barnsley median median 2.0
2023 2.2; Barnsley median median 2.0
2022 1.4; Barnsley median median 1.7
2021 2.0; Barnsley median median 1.7
2020 1.6; Barnsley median median 1.7
2019 1.5; Barnsley median median 1.7
2018 1.3; Barnsley median median 1.8
2017 1.2; Barnsley median median 1.7
2016 1.0; Barnsley median median 2.0
2015 0.9; Barnsley median median 2.0; as the previous school
2014 1.7; Barnsley median median 2.2; as the previous school

This school
Barnsley median

Dashed bars: as Richard Newman Primary School (URN 131159), the previous school.

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	32	63	2.0	32	1.00
Sep 2025	35	74	2.1	35	1.00
Sep 2024	38	91	2.4	37	0.97
Sep 2023	36	78	2.2	28	0.78
Sep 2022	37	53	1.4	34	0.92
Sep 2021	30	59	2.0	26	0.87
Sep 2020	40	62	1.6	39	0.98
Sep 2019	34	50	1.5	32	0.94
Sep 2018	40	51	1.3	32	0.80
Sep 2017	41	48	1.2	33	0.80
Sep 2016	45	47	1.0	23	0.51
Sep 2015 *	50	44	0.9	22	0.44
Sep 2014 *	37	64	1.7	20	0.54

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 74% · Writing 74% · Maths 76% → all three 68% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard68%31st of 72 in Barnsley

Barnsley 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard74%

Barnsley 76% England 78%

Higher standard29%

Barnsley 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard74%

Barnsley 74% England 75%

Greater depth18%

Barnsley 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard76%

Barnsley 80% England 77%

Higher standard16%

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	68%	8%	104	104
2023/24	74%	13%	109	106
2022/23	68%	6%	104	103

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

Laithes Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

2.0applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Athersley South Primary School
0.3 km · Barnsley

Standards maintained2024

2.2applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Athersley North Primary School
0.7 km · Barnsley

2026

1.6applications per place 49%met the SATs standard
Mapplewell Primary School
1.8 km · Barnsley

Good2024

2.6applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Wilthorpe Primary School
1.8 km · Barnsley

Good2024

1.7applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Carlton Primary Academy
1.9 km · Barnsley

Good2023

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

Remains Good2023

1.7applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Lift St Helen's
2.1 km · Barnsley

Good2024

2.3applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Wellgate Primary School
2.3 km · Barnsley

Improved significantly2025

2.0applications per place 72%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: 141974 · 370/2040
Trust: Every Child Matters Academy Trust
Capacity: 280 pupils · 308 on roll
Free school meals: 49.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: SEN unit
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2015
Replaced: Richard Newman Primary School (URN 131159)
Address: Laithes Lane, Smithies, Barnsley, S71 3AF
Local authority: Barnsley

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