The Forest Academy is a primary school in Barnsley, serving pupils aged 3 to 11. The school is a academy sponsor led and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school.
The Forest Academy currently has around 352 pupils on roll, which is about 139% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 52.3% boys and 47.7% girls. Around 37.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The school has a diverse intake across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 6.5%. Persistent absence is recorded at 19.9%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (73.3%). other white pupils make up about 18.5%
At its latest Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Outstanding. This indicates exceptional performance across all areas. Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | Thornton Road, Barnsley, S70 3NG |
| Website: | www.theforest-academy.co.uk |
| Telephone: | 01226284719 |
| School Type: | Academy sponsor led |
| Education phase: | Primary |
| Local authority: | Barnsley |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mrs Katie Pierce |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 139136 |
Ofsted inspection date: 02/02/2023
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 3 - 11 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 253 |
| Number of Pupils: | 352 |
| Number of Boys: | 184 |
| Number of Girls: | 168 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 6.5% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 19.9% | 8.2% |
| White British | 73.30% | 258 |
| Other White | 18.50% | 65 |
| African | 3.10% | 11 |
| White and Black African | 1.70% | 6 |
| Chinese | 0.90% | 3 |
| Unclassified | 0.90% | 3 |
| Other Asian | 0.60% | 2 |
| Other Mixed | 0.60% | 2 |
| Other Black | 0.30% | 1 |
| Indian | 0.30% | 1 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.00% | 0 |
| White and Asian | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish | 0.00% | 0 |
| Pakistani | 0.00% | 0 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.00% | 0 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.00% | 0 |
| Caribbean | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worsbrough Dale Nursery School West Street , Worsbrough Dale S70 5NU | - not rated | 1,599 yd | Local authority nursery school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Burton Grange Children's Centre Abbey Lane , Lundwood S71 5QD | - not rated | 2,059 yd | Local authority nursery school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kendray Junior School Thornton Road , Kendray S70 3NG | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Kendray Primary School Thornton Road , Kendray S70 3NG | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| The Forest Academy Thornton Road , Kendray S70 3NG | 4out of 4 | 0 yd | Academy sponsor led | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Kendray Infant School Cypress Road , Kendray S70 3LZ | - not rated | 152 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Bank End Primary Academy Underwood Avenue , Worsbrough Dale S70 4AZ | 3out of 4 | 664 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley Academy Farm Road , Kendray S70 3DL | 3out of 4 | 686 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| The Elmhirst School Ardsley Road , Worsbrough Dale S70 4RL | - not rated | 1,364 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Priory School and Sports College Littleworth Lane , Lundwood S71 5RG | - not rated | 2,307 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Holgate School Sports College Shaw Lane , S70 6EP | - not rated | 2,936 yd | Voluntary controlled school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Trinity Academy St. Edwards Keresforth Close , S70 6FP | 4out of 4 | 3,042 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley College PO Box 266 , Church Street S70 2YW | - not rated | 2,223 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grasmere School 12-14 Waterfield Place , Stairfoot S70 3PZ | - not rated | 1,256 yd | Other independent special school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Barnsley Additional Support for Education John Street , S70 1LL | - not rated | 1,880 yd | Pupil referral unit | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Hope House School, Barnsley 2 Blucher Street , S70 1AP | - not rated | 2,191 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Rockley Mount School Keresforth Hill Road , S70 6RG | - not rated | 3,062 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Greenacre School Keresforth Hill Road , S70 6RG | - not rated | 3,262 yd | Community special school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.