Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #33 in Barnsley public Top 39% UK

Lift Meadstead

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMs Sarah Mergereson

corporate_fareACADEMIES ENTERPRISE TRUST

location_onBarnsley, S71 4JS

language Visit Website phone 1226722153

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

234

school

Expected Standard

68%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

0.9x

summarize

Lift Meadstead is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Barnsley, serving ages 3-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 39% of primary schools nationally.

article

School Summary

Lift Meadstead is an academy sponsor led in Barnsley, admitting pupils aged 3-11. It is part of ACADEMIES ENTERPRISE TRUST. The school has approximately 210 pupils on roll, of whom 45% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 68% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 14% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #33 of 72 primaries in Barnsley and #4,244 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 20.8:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.5 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

68%

LA 64%

Reading75% LA 76%

Writing68% LA 72%

Maths71% LA 77%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

78%

LA 61%England 61%

Reading87% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing83% LA 71% · Eng 72%

Maths83% LA 74% · Eng 73%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

70%

LA 61%England 60%

Reading82% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Writing73% LA 71% · Eng 71%

Maths91% LA 74% · Eng 73%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

106

Progress (0 = national avg)

3.1

Read

LA -0.1

1.0 to 5.3

-2.8

Write

LA 0.0

-4.8 to -0.7

2.0

Maths

LA 0.4

0.0 to 4.0

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

68%

LA 66%England 65%

Reading84% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Writing68% LA 77% · Eng 78%

Maths72% LA 80% · Eng 79%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

3.4

Read

LA -0.2

1.0 to 5.9

1.8

Write

LA -0.2

-0.4 to 4.1

2.5

Maths

LA 0.7

0.3 to 4.6

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

65%

LA 64%

Reading73% LA 73%

Writing73% LA 78%

Maths73% LA 75%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.4

Read

LA 0.0

-3.7 to 0.9

-2.2

Write

LA 0.5

-4.4 to 0

-0.5

Maths

LA 0.5

-2.6 to 1.6

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

07 May 2025

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

11 April 2024

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

15 November 2022

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

22 January 2019

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

25 February 2015

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2025-05-07

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 2 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2022-11-15

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2019-01-22

S5 Inspection Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2015-02-25

None Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

1.0%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.0%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 210 pupils. During this period, there were 2 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.0%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	210	2	1.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	209	0	0.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	223	0	0.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	221	0	0.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	216	0	0.0%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	236	0	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	234	0	0.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	225	0	0.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	236	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	235	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	227	1	0.4%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	232	3	1.3%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	221	1	0.5%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	216	4	1.9%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	234	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	234	2	0.9%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	229	6	2.6%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	239	4	1.7%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	236	6	2.5%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	227	10	4.4%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	229	4	1.7%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	223	4	1.8%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	221	6	2.7%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	231	4	1.7%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	224	16	7.1%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	205	3	1.5%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

accessibility_new

psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 21 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 14 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 9 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 4 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

96.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

96.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

4.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree67%

agree21%

disagree8%

don't know4%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree67%

agree13%

disagree13%

don't know8%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree50%

disagree13%

strongly disagree4%

not applicable33%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes50%

no50%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree92%

strongly disagree8%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree54%

agree21%

disagree4%

don't know21%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree79%

agree13%

strongly disagree4%

don't know4%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree67%

agree21%

disagree8%

strongly disagree4%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree67%

agree25%

disagree4%

don't know4%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree67%

agree29%

don't know4%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree63%

agree25%

disagree4%

strongly disagree4%

don't know4%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes83%

no17%

Top Primary Schools in Barnsley

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Birdwell Primary School

Good

location_on Barnsley, S70 5XB

emoji_events #1 in LA

Hunningley Primary Academy

Outstanding

location_on Barnsley, S70 3DT

emoji_events #2 in LA

Mapplewell Primary School

Good

location_on Barnsley, S75 6BB

emoji_events #3 in LA

Oakwell Rise Primary Academy

Good

location_on Barnsley, S70 1TS

emoji_events #4 in LA

Churchfield Primary School

Good

location_on Barnsley, S72 8JR

emoji_events #5 in LA

Summerfields Primary Academy

Good

location_on Barnsley, S71 4SF

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Barnsley arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Barnsley

Birdwell Primary School

Hunningley Primary Academy

Mapplewell Primary School

Oakwell Rise Primary Academy

Churchfield Primary School

Summerfields Primary Academy