Best secondary schools in Barnsley

Penistone Grammar School is the top-ranked secondary school in Barnsley (LocaleIQ score 71.7 out of 100). Ofsted: Good. Attainment 8 53.6. The score combines Ofsted outcome, Progress 8 and Attainment 8, and cohort-weighted percentile ranks within the Barnsley secondary pool.

Gawber Primary School tops the Barnsley primary school ranking (LocaleIQ 97.4). Ofsted: Outstanding. KS2 expected 80% · higher 27%. See the full primary school ranking for Barnsley for the complete list.

Attainment 8 measures average GCSE grades across eight subjects; Progress 8 compares actual grades against predictions based on KS2 — a positive figure means pupils outperformed expectations. Top performers in Barnsley: Penistone Grammar School (Attainment 8 53.6); Darton Academy (Attainment 8 52.1); Horizon Community College (Attainment 8 49.8). Both metrics feed into the LocaleIQ secondary school score.

None of the ranked secondary schools in Barnsley currently hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating. 9 schools are rated Good — the highest grade in the Barnsley pool. Ofsted re-inspects on a risk-based cycle, so ratings can change; check individual profiles for inspection dates.

This ranking covers 10 secondary schools in the Barnsley comparison pool. Schools without sufficient published data are excluded but may appear in the LocaleIQ directory.

By average LocaleIQ score across postcode areas, S70 has the strongest cluster — 35.2 average across 2 ranked secondary schools. S71 sits at the lower end (10.6 average). Anchor school shortlists to the sector you might buy into, not just borough averages. Postcode averages mask individual variation — always review each school's full profile.