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Schools in Cudworth and Shafton

A town in Barnsley

  • Town
  • 9 schools and nurseries
  • 2,801 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Missing school is a bigger problem than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Cudworth and Shafton at a glance

Strong results at 11, weaker results at 16

How Cudworth and Shafton's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries94 primary · 1 secondary · 4 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1168%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths42%Attainment 8 43.3, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary31%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school22%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Cudworth and Shafton

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All Cudworth and Shafton primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Cudworth and Shafton

4 mainstream schools in Cudworth and Shafton, best first

Cherry Dale Primary School

Barnsley, S72 8AA · State · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good or better

Results close to the England average.

32 first choices, 33 offers made

Met the standard at 1163%

England 62%

Days missed
4.8%
Pupils
326
Pupils per teacher
20.2
View school Cherry Dale Primary School

Lift Shafton

Barnsley, S72 8QA · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results below the England average.

22 first choices, 23 offers made

Met the standard at 1159%

England 62%

Days missed
4.4%
Pupils
247
Pupils per teacher
22.2
View school Lift Shafton

Birkwood Primary School

Barnsley, S72 8HG · State · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good in every area

Results close to the England average.

61 first choices, 59 offers made

Met the standard at 1161%

England 62%

Days missed
5.0%
Pupils
432
Pupils per teacher
27.7
View school Birkwood Primary School
See all 4 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in Cudworth and Shafton

1 mainstream schools in Cudworth and Shafton, best first

Outwood Academy Shafton

Barnsley, S72 8RE · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good in every area

Results below the England average.

281 first choices, 261 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1643.3

England 46.2

Days missed
11.7%
Pupils
1,377
Pupils per teacher
19.0
View school Outwood Academy Shafton

Nurseries in Cudworth and Shafton

4 in Cudworth and Shafton, highest Ofsted grade first

See all 4 nurseries
The map

Every school in Cudworth and Shafton, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Birkwood Primary School, Good in every areaCherry Dale Primary School, Good or betterLift Shafton, GoodOutwood Academy Shafton, Good in every areaChurchfield Primary School, GoodSidcop Road Community Nursery, OutstandingMarys Little Lambs Cudworth, GoodWonderland Nursery, GoodGroots Childcare Hub 1 (Birkwood Primary School)
  • Outstanding1
  • Good4
  • Not graded yet4
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every Cudworth and Shafton school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

Postcodes

Browse Cudworth and Shafton by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Cudworth and Shafton vs England

How good are Cudworth and Shafton's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Cudworth and Shafton

Cudworth and ShaftonEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 2 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    68%

    England 62%

    Above England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    42%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    22%

    England 18%

    Worse than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    31%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 2 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good2
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Cudworth and Shafton in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%70%90%20182019202320242025
68% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap20%35%50%2018201920222023202420252026
42% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%20%40%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
22% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Cudworth and Shafton has 9 schools and nurseries.

There are 18% more pupils than in 2018.

31% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Cudworth and Shafton's state schools each January.

Up 18% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

Cudworth and Shafton31%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Cudworth and Shafton

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Questions

Questions parents ask about Cudworth and Shafton

Nearby areas

How many schools are in Cudworth and Shafton?

Cudworth and Shafton has 9 schools, including 4 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 4 nurseries. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Cudworth and Shafton?

The highest-ranked schools in Cudworth and Shafton on Eduscope are Cherry Dale Primary School, Lift Shafton, Birkwood Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in Cudworth and Shafton are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Cudworth and Shafton hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 2 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Cudworth and Shafton perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Cudworth and Shafton, 68% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Cudworth and Shafton?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Cudworth and Shafton is 20.9:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in Cudworth and Shafton schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Cudworth and Shafton is 21.8%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in Cudworth and Shafton?

There are 2,801 pupils enrolled across schools in Cudworth and Shafton, with 1,424 in primary and 1,377 in secondary. 34.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Cudworth and Shafton?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 9 schools in Cudworth and Shafton by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

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