Penistone Grammar School

About Penistone Grammar School

Penistone Grammar School is a large secondary school in Barnsley that is currently oversubscribed, a clear signal of its popularity with local families. With 1,922 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,877, the school is operating above its official limit, and for the 2025/26 admissions round it received 504 applications for 315 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.6. Of those, 307 were first-preference applications, and 299 first-preference offers were made, meaning most families who put it top got a place. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 14 per cent, which is below the national average for secondary schools and suggests a relatively less disadvantaged intake than many other state schools in the area. The school is mixed, non-denominational, and has no religious character, so it draws from a broad cross-section of the local community. Paul Crook is the headteacher.

Academically, Penistone Grammar School performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.33 is rated as 'Above average' nationally and places it second out of 11 schools in Barnsley, well ahead of the local authority average of -0.51. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 55.4, and 81.6 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 67.1 per cent achieving a grade 5 or above. Progress in maths is particularly strong at 0.43, while English progress is 0.17. The EBacc entry rate is 55.2 per cent, and the EBacc average point score is 5.03. In the sixth form, the school’s value-added score is exactly zero, meaning students achieve in line with expectations given their prior attainment, and the average A-level grade is a B, with 21.3 per cent of entries achieving AAB or higher. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 confirmed it remains Good, a significant improvement from its 2012 Requires Improvement rating.

The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, and a sixth form centre, plus specialist spaces like music rooms, art studios, and science labs. Sports provision covers rugby, netball, hockey, cricket, and dance, while extracurricular clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, drama, debate, and Young Enterprise. For pupils with additional needs, the school has a SEN unit and resourced provision, supporting conditions including autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. This is a school that suits families who want a large, academically strong state secondary with a proven track record of above-average progress, a popular sixth form, and a broad extracurricular offer. The oversubscription means applying as a first preference is advisable, especially given that 299 of 307 first-preference applicants were offered a place.

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