Laithes Primary School
113%
Capacity
315
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Laithes Primary School
Parents considering Laithes Primary School will be reassured by the strong vote of confidence from local families. The school is significantly oversubscribed, with 74 applications for just 35 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.11. Every one of the 35 first-preference applicants secured a place, which suggests that for those who put it top of their list, the school is a realistic option. While the school does not publish a parent satisfaction survey, the high demand speaks for itself. The school is led by headteacher Georgina Fletcher and currently has 315 pupils on roll, exceeding its official capacity of 280. It is a state-funded, mixed primary school for children aged 3 to 11, with nursery provision available. The school has a non-religious character and serves the Barnsley area in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Academically, Laithes Primary School performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 74% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the Barnsley average of 63%. This places the school 16th out of 70 primary schools in the local authority, putting it in the top 25% regionally and nationally. Pupils achieved particularly strong results in reading, with 65% reaching the higher standard and an average scaled score of 109. In maths, 24% reached the higher standard with an average score of 106. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2022 rated it Good overall, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018. The early years provision was judged Outstanding, while leadership, behaviour, personal development and the quality of education were all rated Good.
The school offers a range of facilities including a library, sports hall, ICT suite, sensory room, playing fields and a forest school, which supports outdoor learning. Sports on offer include tennis, netball, rounders and dance, while clubs such as choir, film club, gardening and book club provide enrichment. The school has a strong SEND focus, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, physical disability and specific learning difficulties like dyslexia. With 52.8% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage. Laithes is a good fit for families who want a well-regarded local primary with strong academic outcomes, a clear improvement trajectory and a broad range of enrichment, all within a school that is genuinely in demand but still accessible to first-choice applicants.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Laithes Lane, Barnsley, Barnsley, S71 3AF |
| Headteacher | Georgina Fletcher |
| Local Authority | Barnsley |
| Number of Pupils | 315 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 52.8% |
| School Capacity | 315 / 280 (113% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Mar 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 16 May 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (74%)
2975th of 13,686
Nationally
287th of 1,506
In Yorkshire and the Humber
16th of 70
In Barnsley
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
74%
Expected Standard
13%
Higher Standard
'22/23
68%
'23/24
74%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
8Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed35
74
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
35 families put this school as their 1st choice (47% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British83.2%
- White (other)10.5%
- Mixed3.6%
- Asian0.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Laithes Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Laithes Lane, Barnsley
Barnsley, S71 3AF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Laithes Primary School!
Write a Review