Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School

Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School is performing well overall, with a good quality of education and a positive environment for students. The school is described as welcoming and friendly, fostering strong relationships between staff and pupils. There is an emphasis on inclusivity, particularly for students with special educational needs, who receive effective support. However, some areas of the curriculum are undergoing redevelopment, and there are concerns regarding the opportunities available for subject leaders to enhance their expertise through training. This inspection was the first since the pandemic, and contextually, the school has seen some staffing changes since its last inspection.

Strengths

• Staff build positive relationships with pupils.
• The school promotes an inclusive environment.
• Pupils are proud of the school and enjoy their lessons.
• Reading is a central focus of the curriculum.
• Pupils receive effective support for phonics and additional reading help.
• The personal development curriculum prepares pupils for modern British life.
• There are strong safety measures in place for pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Subject leaders lack opportunities for training and support.
• Key knowledge in some subjects is not clearly identified.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School attended 96.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School had 22.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 7.4% of pupils at Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School received £6,518 and spent £6,599 for each of its 135 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £52,000 (£384 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Barnsley · Barnsley local authority: places and applications

What is Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School is Good, from an inspection in December 2022.

When was Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School was last inspected in December 2022.

How many pupils does Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School have?

Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School has 135 pupils on roll.

What age range does Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School cover?

Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School?

Silkstone Common Junior and Infant School is at Moorend Lane, Silkstone Common, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S75 4QT.