Best primary schools in Barnsley (2026)

Barnsley has 17 ranked primary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Hunningley Primary Academy, in the top 9% in England. The average reading, writing & maths here in 2025 was 66%, against 62% for England. 1 are in England's top 10%, and 2 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

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Rank	School	Reading, writing & maths (2023–2025 average)	Reading, writing & maths 2025	Higher standard	Ofsted
1 Top 9% in England	Hunningley Primary Academy Barnsley	83%	87%	15%	Outstanding
2 Top 26% in England	Oakwell Rise Primary Academy Barnsley	75%	81%	0%	Report card
3 Top 29% in England	Laithes Primary School Barnsley	70%	68%	8%	Report card
4 Top 29% in England	Wilthorpe Primary School Barnsley	71%	71%	7%	Good
5 Top 35% in England	Athersley South Primary School Barnsley	67%	66%	15%	No rating
6 Top 37% in England	Burton Road Primary School Barnsley	65%	76%	17%	No rating
7 Top 39% in England	Outwood Primary Academy Littleworth Grange Barnsley	64%	66%	29%	No rating
8 Top 40% in England	The Forest Academy Barnsley	68%	70%	0%	Outstanding
9 Top 40% in England	St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Barnsley Barnsley · Church of England	66%	51%	3%	Good
10 Top 41% in England	Shawlands Primary School Barnsley	66%	64%	0%	No rating
11 Top 48% in England	Worsbrough Common Primary School Barnsley	64%	66%	10%	Good
12 Bottom 50% in England	Joseph Locke Primary School Barnsley	63%	75%	13%	No rating
13 Bottom 49% in England	Queens Road Academy Barnsley	60%	54%	4%	No rating
14 Bottom 41% in England	Oakhill Primary Academy Barnsley	61%	69%	0%	No rating
15 Bottom 37% in England	Holy Rood Catholic Primary School Barnsley · Roman Catholic	57%	53%	3%	Good
16 Bottom 16% in England	Lift St Helen's Barnsley	50%	62%	0%	Good
17 Bottom 7% in England	Athersley North Primary School Barnsley	42%	49%	2%	Report card

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Questions

What is the best primary school in Barnsley?

On exam results over the last three years, Hunningley Primary Academy is the top-ranked primary school in Barnsley, in the top 9% of schools in England.

How are the schools ranked?

By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.