Cherry Dale Primary School

About Cherry Dale Primary School

Cherry Dale Primary School’s headline metrics present a mixed picture when set against the Barnsley local authority average for primary schools. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined stands at 55%, which is notably below the LA average of 63%. This places the school in the bottom half of Barnsley’s 70 primaries, ranked 50th. However, the picture is more nuanced when you look at individual subjects. In reading, 69% of pupils met the expected standard, and the same proportion did so in writing, while maths saw 64% reach that benchmark. The average scaled scores of 105 in reading and 104 in maths are both solid. Where the school really stands out is in the personal development and behaviour domains, which Ofsted rated as Outstanding in its most recent inspection.

Academically, the school’s 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results show a clear gap between the combined expected standard and the LA average, but the data also reveals strengths. Just 7% of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, though 26% reached the higher standard in maths alone, and 21% did so in reading. The school’s national ranking places it in the 69th percentile for the combined expected measure, meaning it outperforms roughly a third of primaries nationally. Ofsted’s January 2025 inspection judged the quality of education as Good, with behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management all rated Outstanding. This is a notable improvement from the school’s previous inspection in 2014, when it was rated Outstanding overall. The early years provision is now Good, down from Outstanding previously.

Cherry Dale is a state primary for children aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. It is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26, there were 102 applications for 34 places, all of which went to first-preference families. The school serves a community where 33.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include a sensory room, forest school, sports hall, playing fields, art studios and a chapel. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent View responses from 45 families show 80% would recommend the school, with particularly strong scores for happiness, safety and high expectations. This is a school that suits families who value strong pastoral care and behaviour, and who are comfortable with academic results that sit below the local average.

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