Kirk Balk Academy
Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Ages 11–16 · Barnsley
Last distance offered · Year 7 2026
2.853 miles
Published by Barnsley Council · offers on 2 March 2026
2023 figure 🔒
Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒
Kirk Balk Academy is a secondary school in Barnsley for ages 11–16 (academy sponsor led). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Standards maintained, from the inspection on 4 June 2025. Barnsley has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2023 to 2026 entry.
Kirk Balk Academy catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Year 7 2026 | 2.853 mi |
| Year 7 2023 | 🔒 With a pass |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- For Year 7 in 2026, the last child offered a place lived 2.853 miles from the school, the 3rd shortest of 6 Barnsley secondary schools with a published last distance.
- The 2026 Year 7 last distance was further from the school than in 2023.
- In 2026 Year 7 entry, 237 first-choice applications for 254 offers: 233 offers went to first-choice families, and 4 first-choice families were not offered a place.
- In 2024/25, 55% of pupils got grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths (England 45%), and the Attainment 8 score was 46 (England 46).
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Barnsley schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- West Street, Hoyland, Barnsley, S74 9HX
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–16
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Barnsley
- Pupils on roll
- 1,318 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 29.7% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 21.1
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Standards maintained Inspected 4 June 2025
Strengths
- “Kirk Balk Academy is successful in its vision to be ‘outcomes focused, child centred’.”
- “There is a deep commitment to improving pupils’ life chances.”
- “The school’s high expectations, relentless drive to help pupils succeed and committed staff ensure that pupils achieve well.”
To improve
- “Although teaching is consistent, at times, it is not adapted sufficiently to meet the needs of all pupils.”
- “For example, occasionally, some pupils are not encouraged to deepen their learning.”
- “In a small number of cases, teaching is not precisely adapted to meet the needs of some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 14 July 2025 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 55% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 46 | 46 |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 237 first-preference applications, 254 offers in total, 233 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Barnsley.
- Barnsley Academy 2.4 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Netherwood Academy 2.9 mi Good
- Trinity Academy St. Edwards 3.7 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- Horizon Community College 4.1 mi School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next Last distance published
- Outwood Academy Carlton 6.0 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Outwood Academy Shafton 6.2 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Astrea Academy Dearne 6.2 mi Good
- Darton Academy 6.9 mi Good