Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
113%
Capacity
158
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School in Barnsley is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary that is currently running above its official capacity, with 158 pupils on roll against a capacity of 140. That oversubscription is no accident: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 37 applications for just 19 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.95. All 19 first-preference applicants were offered a place, but the numbers suggest demand significantly outstrips supply. The school serves a community with a higher-than-average level of disadvantage — 26.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with a national primary average of around 23-24%. This context matters when looking at the school's academic profile, because it's a school that is clearly popular locally despite not topping any league tables.
Academically, Sacred Heart's Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 place it in the bottom half of Barnsley primary schools, ranked 58th out of 70. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 48%, well below the Barnsley local authority average of 63%. Reading was the strongest individual subject, with 74% reaching the expected standard and 35% reaching the higher standard. Maths was weaker, with 57% at expected and 13% at higher. Writing sat in between at 70% expected. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, a graded visit in March 2020, rated it Good overall and Good across all five key areas — a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2017. An ungraded inspection in March 2025 noted that some aspects were not as strong, but the school remains Good.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a library, sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields and a chapel, plus clubs like drama, chess, coding, science, art and eco club. Sports on offer include football, cross country, cricket and netball. For SEND, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties (dyslexia), social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent View responses, based on 20 respondents, show 70% would recommend the school. However, the data also reveals some notable concerns: only 40% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child feels safe at school, and only 20% agreed or strongly agreed that bullying is dealt with quickly and effectively. This is a school that clearly has strong local demand and a Good Ofsted rating, but parents should weigh the academic results and parent feedback carefully against the school's popularity.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Lockwood Road, Rotherham, Barnsley, S63 9JY |
| Headteacher | Natalie Kelly |
| Local Authority | Barnsley |
| Number of Pupils | 158 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 26.6% |
| School Capacity | 158 / 140 (113% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
19 Mar 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (19 Mar 2025): Some aspects not as strong
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 1 Jul 2020. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (48%)
11109th of 13,686
Nationally
1201st of 1,506
In Yorkshire and the Humber
58th of 70
In Barnsley
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
48%
Expected Standard
0%
Higher Standard
'22/23
50%
'23/24
48%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
Ofsted Parent View
20 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
10Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed19
37
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
19 families put this school as their 1st choice (51% 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.
Better than half of schools in England.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British66.5%
- White (other)6.3%
- Asian3.8%
- Mixed3.2%
- Black1.3%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
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.
6
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
5
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sacred Heart Catholic 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
Lockwood Road, Rotherham
Barnsley, S63 9JY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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