Schools by area › Barnsley › Kirk Balk Academy
Kirk Balk Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
West Street, Hoyland, Barnsley S74 9HX · kba.northerneducationtrust.org · 01226 742286
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Jan 2020
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 46
- average Attainment 8 score. Barnsley 44, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,318
- 68 over 1,250 places · 105%
- Local authority
- Barnsley
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 29.7%
- First language not English
- 2%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 237 families put the school first and 254 places were offered; 98% 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 | 254 | 237 | 0.9 | 98% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 264 | 257 | 1 | 96% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 257 | 268 | 1▲ | 92% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 268 | 293 | 1.1▲ | 87% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 262 | 276 | 1.1▲ | 93% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 46, and 54.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Barnsley it was 44, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●46 | 46 | ||
| ▲54.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲71.5% | 64.8% | ||
| ●42.2% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.13 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 7.8 | −2.3 |
| Sixth form college | 1.2 | −0.5 |
| Further education | 68.6 | −2.3 |
| Other education | 1.6 | +0.8 |
| Apprenticeship | 8.6 | +3.5 |
| Employment | 5.5 | +2.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5.1 | −2.1 |
| Activity not captured | 1.6 | +0.8 |
Ofsted
Kirk Balk Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 21 January 2020, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework. An ungraded inspection in Jun 2025 found: Standards maintained.
- Outcome
- Standards maintained
- Inspected
- 3 Jun 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jan 2020
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 106654), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Jan 2020Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Sept 2017Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Oct 2013Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 106654)
What parents said
68% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (107 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 68%
- Replies
- 107
- 8% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 82% who raised concerns
based on the 39% who had a child bullied
based on 22 parents (21%) with SEND