Barnsley AcademyKirk Balk Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Barnsley.
Summary of the comparison
Barnsley Academy and Kirk Balk Academy are secondary schools in Barnsley.
Barnsley Academy scores 52 out of 100 (grade D, below average) and Kirk Balk Academy scores 57 out of 100 (grade C, average). Kirk Balk Academy is ahead on our composite score.
Barnsley Academy was judged Good and Kirk Balk Academy was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 45.1 for Barnsley Academy and 46.0 for Kirk Balk Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has risen at Barnsley Academy (40.8 in 2021-22, 45.1 in 2024-25) and has fallen at Kirk Balk Academy (50.6 in 2021-22, 46.0 in 2024-25).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | BarnsleyBarnsley Academy | BarnsleyKirk Balk Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | D52/100 | C57/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 5th of 11 in Barnsley | 4th of 11 in Barnsley Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Academy sponsor led | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-16 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 915 | 1,327 | |
| Capacity | 900 | 1,250 | |
| Location | Barnsley, S70 3DL | Barnsley, S74 9HX | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 45.1 | 46.0 Stronger figure | 46.0 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 44.1% | 54.7% Stronger figure | 45.4% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 61.8% | 71.5% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Entering EBacc | 44.1% Stronger figure | 42.2% | 40.5% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.12 | 4.13 Stronger figure | 4.09 |
| Cohort | 204 | 256 | |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 915 | 1,327 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 47.6% | 30.1% | |
| English as an additional language | 16.1% | 1.5% | |
| SEN support | 13.1% | 18.2% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 4.4% | 3.8% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 9.9% | 9.6% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 25.9% | 25.2% Stronger figure | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Barnsley Academy
Kirk Balk Academy
Full profiles: Barnsley Academy · Kirk Balk Academy