Toll Bar Primary School

About Toll Bar Primary School

Toll Bar Primary School in Doncaster was rated Requires Improvement in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2025, a judgment that reflects ongoing challenges in the quality of education and leadership. However, the inspection also identified several areas where the school is doing better: early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes were all rated Good. The school's academic outcomes at Key Stage 2 tell a difficult story. In the 2023/24 academic year, just 23% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is dramatically below the local authority average of 61% and places Toll Bar at the very bottom of the Doncaster primary school rankings, 87th out of 87 schools. Individual subject scores were also low: the average reading score was 94, maths 97, and only 9% of pupils achieved the higher standard in either reading or writing.

The school's Progress 8 data is not available, but the raw attainment figures paint a clear picture. In maths, 45% of pupils met the expected standard, compared with 36% in writing and just 23% in reading. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard in any subject was in single digits. These results sit against a backdrop of high disadvantage: 59.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. The school has a nursery provision and caters for children from age 3 to 11, with a total of 194 pupils on roll against a capacity of 262. The parent view, based on 14 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows a mixed picture. While 64% would recommend the school, only 36% strongly agreed that their child is happy, and a significant minority disagreed that bullying is dealt with effectively or that the school communicates well about what children will learn.

Toll Bar offers a range of facilities including a music room, forest school, ICT suite and chapel, and runs clubs such as science, book, gardening and chess. Sports on offer include gymnastics, tennis, athletics and cross country. The school has a broad set of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment and physical disability. For the 2025/26 admissions year, the school received exactly 14 applications for 14 places, with 13 first-preference offers made, meaning it was not oversubscribed. For families considering Toll Bar, the nearest Outstanding-rated alternative is Bentley High Street Primary School, 2.6 km away. This school may suit parents who value its inclusive SEND support and forest school provision, but who are prepared for a school that is still working through significant improvement challenges.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Toll Bar Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents