Holy Trinity Catholic and Church of England School

About Holy Trinity Catholic and Church of England School

Holy Trinity Catholic and Church of England School’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.74 sits notably below the Barnsley local authority average of -0.51, placing it tenth out of eleven secondary schools in the area. That gap of 0.23 points might sound modest, but in practical terms it means pupils here are making significantly less academic progress than their peers across the borough. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 34.2 and its EBacc average point score of 2.95 both reflect this trend, and only 36.8 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom ten per cent for Progress 8, and its banding is described as ‘well below average’. For parents comparing options in Barnsley, these figures are a clear signal that Holy Trinity is not currently delivering the same level of academic outcomes as its neighbours.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2025 rated it as Requires Improvement overall, though the inspection was not a graded judgement on overall effectiveness. The breakdown shows that quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all remain at Requires Improvement. On the positive side, personal development and the early years provision were both graded Good. The previous inspection in 2022 had also rated the school as Requires Improvement across the board, so there has been no upward movement in the core academic areas. Parent View responses from 2024-25 paint a mixed picture: 42 per cent of parents would recommend the school, while 58 per cent would not. Only 39 per cent agreed their child is happy, and just 34 per cent felt behaviour is well managed. Concerns about SEND support were particularly stark, with 74 per cent of respondents disagreeing that the school gives SEND children the support they need.

Holy Trinity is a mixed all-through school for ages 3 to 16, with a nursery provision and a Church of England/Roman Catholic religious character. It is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 199 applications for 69 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.88. Only 62 first-preference offers were made from 66 first-preference applications, so securing a place is competitive. The school has a range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and a chapel, and offers clubs such as Debate, Eco Club, and DofE. Sports include football, rugby, and martial arts. With 32.9 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively disadvantaged catchment. This is a school that may suit families who value its faith-based character and wide extracurricular offer, but who are prepared for the fact that academic outcomes and Ofsted ratings currently lag behind the local average.

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