Academy converter · Barnsley

Astrea Academy Dearne

11–16Ages
1,071Pupils
SecondaryPhase
146501URN

Goldthorpe Road, Goldthorpe, Rotherham, S63 9EW · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.1per place

0.5 below Barnsley median (1.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Barnsley

242 applications for 213 places · 11th of 11 in Barnsley

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

39.3of 90

Barnsley 43.3 England 46.0

10th of 11 in Barnsley

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 10 May 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education	Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Requires improvement
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management	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

1.1applications per place, Year 7

0.5 below Barnsley median (1.6) 1.1 below England median (2.2)

242 applications · 213 places offered · 164 named it first

2026 1.1; Barnsley median median 1.6
2025 1.3; Barnsley median median 1.9
2024 1.1; Barnsley median median 1.7
2023 1.2; Barnsley median median 1.7
2022 1.1; Barnsley median median 1.5
2021 1.1; Barnsley median median 1.5
2020 1.1; Barnsley median median 1.5
2019 1.2; Barnsley median median 1.6; as the previous school
2018 1.1; Barnsley median median 1.3; as the previous school
2017 1.1; Barnsley median median 1.7; as the previous school
2016 1.2; Barnsley median median 1.7; as the previous school
2015 1.2; Barnsley median median 1.7; as the previous school
2014 1.3; Barnsley median median 1.9; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Barnsley median in 0 of 7 years.

This school
Barnsley median

Dashed bars: as The Dearne Advanced Learning Centre (URN 106656), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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	213	242	1.1	164	0.77
Sep 2025	187	242	1.3	161	0.86
Sep 2024	236	264	1.1	182	0.77
Sep 2023	214	255	1.2	179	0.84
Sep 2022	216	241	1.1	210	0.97
Sep 2021	222	254	1.1	221	1.00
Sep 2020	229	255	1.1	225	0.98
Sep 2019 *	230	267	1.2	227	0.99
Sep 2018 *	226	258	1.1	225	1.00
Sep 2017 *	221	246	1.1	204	0.92
Sep 2016 *	188	223	1.2	178	0.95
Sep 2015 *	158	190	1.2	140	0.89
Sep 2014 *	177	235	1.3	153	0.86

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

195 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)39.310th of 11 in Barnsley

Barnsley 43.3 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths35%10th of 11 in Barnsley

Barnsley 49% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths59%

Barnsley 67% England 66%

This school
Barnsley median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.67

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	195	39.3	35%	59%	–
2024/25	195	40.2	40%	58%	–
2023/24	216	39.6	37%	56%	−0.67
2022/23	205	37.0	27%	50%	−0.68

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

Astrea Academy DearneThis school
This school

Good2023

1.1applications per place 39.3Attainment 8
The Laurel Academy
3.0 km · Doncaster

Good2023

1.2applications per place 47.8Attainment 8
Wath Academy
4.4 km · Rotherham

Good2023

2.3applications per place 49.7Attainment 8
Saint Pius X Catholic High School A Specialist School in Humanities
4.7 km · Rotherham

Requires improvement2024

2.4applications per place 39.7Attainment 8
Swinton Academy
5.2 km · Rotherham

Good2023

1.8applications per place 40.7Attainment 8
Netherwood Academy
6.1 km · Barnsley

Good2024

1.3applications per place 41.0Attainment 8
De Warenne Academy
6.7 km · Doncaster

2026

1.3applications per place 46.8Attainment 8
Rawmarsh Community School
7.6 km · Rotherham

2026

1.1applications per place 40.1Attainment 8
Minsthorpe Community College
8.2 km · Wakefield

Remains Good2023

1.1applications per place 44.7Attainment 8

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 converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 146501 · 370/4037
Trust: Astrea Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,200 pupils · 1,071 on roll
Free school meals: 45.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision and SEN unit
Opened: 1 February 2019
Replaced: The Dearne Advanced Learning Centre (URN 106656)
Address: Goldthorpe Road, Goldthorpe, Rotherham, S63 9EW
Local authority: Barnsley

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources