Schools by area › Barnsley › Penistone Grammar School
Penistone Grammar School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Community school
Huddersfield Road, Penistone, Sheffield S36 7BX · penistone-gs.uk · 01226 762114
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Feb 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 53.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Barnsley 44, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,946
- 69 over 1,877 places · 104%
- Local authority
- Barnsley
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 14.6%
- First language not English
- 1.9%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 311 families put the school first and 309 places were offered; 99% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 309 | 311 | 1▲ | 99% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 315 | 307 | 1 | 97% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 302 | 293 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 299 | 337 | 1.1▲ | 89% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 302 | 321 | 1.1▲ | 94% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 53.6, and 59.6% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Barnsley it was 44, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade B (40.7 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲53.6 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲59.6% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲76.3% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲49.5% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.81 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 47.1 | −1.8 |
| Sixth form college | 4.2 | −0.5 |
| Further education | 39 | +3.7 |
| Other education | 0.3 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 3.5 | −3.3 |
| Employment | 1 | −0.4 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 4.2 | +2 |
| Activity not captured | 0.6 | −0.1 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 127 students | B (40.7) | Average +0.08 | |
| 127 students | B (40.8) | Average +0.08 | |
| 11 students | Dist- (32.6) | Average -0.01 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 142 | B (39.2) | 0.00 |
| 2022/23 | 106 | B (38.8) | — |
| 2021/22 | 119 | B+ (44.6) | — |
| 2018/19 | 110 | B- (38) | +0.44 |
| 2017/18 | 110 | B (39.8) | +0.34 |
| 2016/17 | 129 | C+ (32.7) | -0.01 |
| 2015/16 | 138 | C (30.1) | -0.16 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 69.4 | +5.6 |
| Other education | 0.7 | −0.1 |
| Apprenticeship | 8.2 | +0.3 |
| Employment | 14.3 | −3.8 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.1 | +0.6 |
| Activity not captured | 1.4 | −2.5 |
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 3 February 2023, Ofsted’s outcome for Penistone Grammar School was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 2 Feb 2023
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Oct 2013
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Oct 2017Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Oct 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Feb 2012Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement
What parents said
78% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (274 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 78%
- Replies
- 274
- 15% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 77% who raised concerns
based on the 35% who had a child bullied
based on 63 parents (23%) with SEND