Carrfield Primary Academy

About Carrfield Primary Academy

Carrfield Primary Academy in Barnsley holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained since its most recent ungraded inspection in 2023. That inspection confirmed the school continues to meet the standard it first achieved in a graded inspection back in 2013, a notable improvement from its previous rating of Requires Improvement in 2011. The most telling academic metric for this primary school is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2. In the 2023/24 results, just 31% of pupils hit that combined benchmark, which is significantly below the Barnsley local authority average of 63%. This places Carrfield 69th out of 70 primary schools in the borough, putting it in the bottom 2% locally and the bottom 4% nationally. The school’s overall ranking score of 31 reflects a clear gap between its outcomes and those of its strongest local peers, such as Hoylandswaine Primary School.

Looking more closely at the individual subject scores, the picture is mixed. In maths, 67% of pupils reached the expected standard, with an average scaled score of 101, which is close to the national baseline. Reading was weaker, with only 48% meeting the expected standard and an average score of 100. Writing fared slightly better at 64% expected, but no pupils achieved the higher standard in either writing or the combined reading, writing and maths measure. Just 2% reached the higher standard in maths, and 12% in reading. The school does not publish Progress 8 scores, so it is difficult to measure how much value it adds relative to pupils’ starting points, but the raw attainment data suggests that while maths is a relative strength, reading and the combined core subjects are areas where the school is struggling to match local and national averages.

Carrfield is a state primary for mixed genders aged 4 to 11, with 295 pupils on roll against a capacity of 315. It is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 72 applications for 23 places, with all 23 first-preference applicants receiving an offer. The school has a higher-than-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 35.6%, which may reflect the socioeconomic context of its intake. Facilities include a forest school, sensory room, sports hall, art studios and a chapel, and the school offers clubs such as chess, eco club, science club and film club. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families prioritising strong academic outcomes, particularly in reading and combined core subjects, the data suggests this school may not be the strongest choice in Barnsley, though its oversubscription indicates it remains popular locally.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Carrfield Primary Academy

Helpful Guides for Parents