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Schools
Schools celebrate GCSE successes across the borough
Chief reporter Jack Tolson rounds up the news from schools across the borough on GCSE results day ...
THE percentage of youngsters who passed their English and maths GCSEs has increased from last year.
In total, 62.7 per cent of Barnsley’s 2,445 students who sat their GCSEs at mainstream schools achieved a grade four or above in both English and maths an increase of 0.6 per cent from 2023’s figures.
Coun Trevor Cave, cabinet spokesperson...
Schools’ road safety set to be boosted
TWELVE primary schools across Barnsley could see 20mph signs placed outside them in a bid to improve road safety for children.
At last week’s full council meeting, the issue around road safety arose following previous plans put forward to Barnsley Council’s ruling cabinet members.
Coun Steve Hunt, who represents Darton East with the Lib Dems, said: “An additional £2m of highways investment was included within the 2022/23 budget.
“This was for highways safety meas
Once-troubled school’s turnaround secures award nomination
MILEFIELD Primary School in Grimethorpe has undoubtedly been on a huge journey over recent years.
Following an Ofsted inspection in November 2019 that stated ‘the school was going through a period of turbulence’ and ‘expectation for pupils are not high enough’, it now could not be any further from that position.
The transformation is so dramatic that it’s gone from being one of the lowest-performing schools in the borough, year-on-year, to now be in a...
Kids’ education outcomes ‘top priority’ for schools’ alliance
WORK to improve thousands of school pupils’ education outcomes will become a key priority for a borough-wide alliance over the next three years, it was revealed this week.
A refreshed strategy was agreed by Barnsley Council’s ruling cabinet members on Wednesday after councillors discussed the plight of the town’s 92 state-funded schools and 246 registered early years settings.
Barnsley - which ranks as the 60th most-deprived local authority out of 317 - performs well up...
Horizon schoolboys make history by winning national final on penalties at Hawthorns
HORIZON School under 14s have made history by becoming the first school team from Barnsley to win the Elite National Final.
Three weeks after Barnsley FC lost 4-0 at The Hawthorns, home of West Bromwich Albion, in their final Championship game before dropping into League One, the Horizon team beat St Peter’s from Gloucester on penalties there in front of about 1,000 spectators.
It has been a superb season for the team, who also won...
Trade union criticised by school
A TRADE union responsible for representing kitchen staff at a Barnsley school has been criticised for its ‘aggressive’ approach in a row over a proposed new wage structure.
Unison spoke out regarding Churchfield Primary School, in Cudworth, whose ruling body - Waterton Academy Trust - announced its intention to remove a school holiday retention payment from its kitchen staff.
Churchfield, on Snydale Road, transferred from Barnsley Council’s control to the trust - which runs s
Long-awaited £25m school plan breaks cover
LONG-AWAITED planning consent is being sought for a new £25m school in order to cater for growing demand on the outskirts of the town centre - despite concerns over pupils’ road safety.
Trinity Academy St Edward’s was set to open a temporary venue for 180 year seven students on September 1 this year on the grounds of a former NHS site near Broadway, Kingstone.
However, its kids are being temporarily housed at a Barnsley College...
School defends toilet closure decision
A SCHOOL forced to close several toilets due to students setting off fire alarms by smoking electronic cigarettes has dismissed a petition - which has amassed almost 1,000 signatures - that claims all but a few toilets have been ‘locked’.
The petition, said Horizon Community College principal Claire Huddart, misses out key pieces of information - that students ‘vaping’ has led to staff having to cancel fire alarms before South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue is...
School rocked by Covid outbreak
A MASS testing programme has urgently been brought in at a Covid-hit school after cases quadrupled in a week and further disrupted youngsters’ learning, the Chronicle can reveal.
Penistone Grammar leaders described their frustration at rising rates having recorded 52 new cases.
The school - which had just 13 cases up to June 20 - now has quadruple that figure which led to a mass testing programme being brought in this week to halt the...
Once troubled school now heading in right direction
THE head teacher of a previously failing primary school has reflected on a first term that has already seen a major turnaround.
Rebecca Paddock, who became head teacher of Worsbrough Common Primary School in September after the school came under the management of the Hoyland Common Academy Trust, said her first priority was stabilising the school after what Ofsted inspectors called a ‘period of turbulence’.
The school had dropped from ‘outstanding’ to requiring improvement in...
Trust recruits Churchfield
THE head of an academy trust hopes to work with more Barnsley schools after the first joined its ranks.
Cudworth Churchfield Primary Academy becomes the first school in the borough to join the Waterton Academy Trust, a Wakefield-based group of 13 schools run by Monk Bretton-born Dave Dickinson.
Former headteacher Dave, who founded the trust in 2014 and this year received an OBE for his contribution to education, said moving into his hometown was always...
Improvement is made at pre-school
A PRE-SCHOOL which was previously rated ‘inadequate’ during an Ofsted inspection has been rated ‘good’ following its most recent visit.
Kids World Cudworth, based at the Centre of Excellence on Roberts Street, cares for children aged two to five. The nursery is run by Kidsworld-Childcare Ltd, which has five nurseries across Barnsley, Rotherham and Wakefield.
In May, the nursery was rated ‘inadequate’ because safeguarding procedures were not implemented effectively and staff’s exp
Budding artists called to enter competition
To mark a £57.5 million investment, The South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System is inviting local primary school children to get creative and create posters to share their vision for the ideal hospital or healthcare centre of the future.
The investment is being put into new GP surgeries, new nurse-led clinics and new pharmacies, which will modernize and improve services for local patients. This means that the public will be able to access care...
History makers celebrated at Penistone Grammar
STUDENTS at Penistone Grammar School were celebrating yesterday after securing some of the best A Level results in the school’s history.
Yesterday, students received their A Level results which put the school in the top ten per cent nationally.
The school expects that 92 per cent of students will secure their firm choice of university with half heading to the most prestigious Russell Group universities.
“Our students are amazing and work incredibly hard,” said principal...
Rewarding time for Tracey...
A TEACHING assistant who has helped to raise over £70,000 for her school has won an award in recognition of her efforts.
Tracey White, 55, has worked as a teaching assistant at Birkwood Primary School for 14 years and each year she raises between £5,000 and £7,000 which helps bring the price of all school trips down to just £5. Throughout the year Tracey holds raffles, sponsored walks, Christmas fairs and bingo to raise money...
Teachers are a shining example after award wins
TWO innovative teachers from Barnsley hope to help bridge the north/south educational divide.
Teachers David Fallis and Michelle Lockwood, both from Barnsley, are both previous ‘Let Teachers Shine’ winners, having won funding from the charity SHINE to support their creative educational ideas.
In 2017, SHINE relocated to Leeds in order to concentrate efforts in the north and Michelle and David want other Barnsley teachers to apply to the charity to support their own ideas.
Michelle...
School doing things by the book
FOUR primary schools are encouraging children to read by launching a new book service.
Outwood Grange Academies Trust has four schools in the area, Outwood Academy Shafton, Outwood Academy Carlton, Outwood Primary Academy Darfield and Outwood Primary Academy Littleworth Grange, which have all launched a new scheme where pupils, and parents, are invited to donate books to the school. From these donated books, the pupils are free to take home whichever they wish with the...
Pupils start the day the right way
CHILDREN at a Barnsley primary school will be guaranteed a healthy breakfast as the school joins a national scheme.
Goldthorpe Primary School has been signed up to the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP), delivered by charities Family Action and Magic Breakfast and funded by the Department for Education.
“We are already seeing the benefits of being able to offer everyone a healthy breakfast before school,” said Amie Morris, family support worker at Goldthorpe Primary School....
College supports later applications for university
BARNSLEY College has supported proposed reforms to the university application process following an increase in the number of ‘unconditional’ offers handed out to students.
While most 18-year-olds currently apply for university well before they sit their exams, a study by the University and College Union (UCU) has concluded that applications should only be made after students receive their results.
The report says the change would mean the end of unconditional offers - guaranteed university
X Factor stars make online safety plea
STUDENTS at a Barnsley school were treated to a special performance with an important message from a group of X-Factor stars.
New Kings Order who made it as far as the judges’ houses in the 2015 series of the television talent contest  performed for students at Netherwood Academy.
The band, who performed songs by One Direction and Little Mix, were at the school to talk about the importance of staying safe online.
As well...
