Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

How places are decided at Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Reception), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1Looked after and previously looked after children — First, to Looked After Children (LAC), Previously Looked After Children (PLAC), and children who have been in state care outside of England (IPLAC).
2Sibling — Second, to children with brothers and/or sisters attending the school on the proposed date of admission. Siblings must be attending in Reception to Year 11 at the time of admission; this does not include Penistone post-16 centre.
3Distance from the school — Third, to children living nearest the school; the distance to be measured by a straight line between the centre point of the child’s ordinary place of residence and the main entrance to the school building.

If two applications tie: Straight-line distance from the centre point of the home to the main entrance of the school building.

Barnsley Council is the admission authority for its community and voluntary controlled schools. It does NOT operate catchment areas or feeder schools for them — after looked-after children and siblings, places are decided purely on straight-line distance. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are admitted before these criteria are applied. Academies and voluntary aided schools set their own criteria.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.

Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School: key facts

What did Ofsted judge Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's overall effectiveness to be?: Ofsted judged Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's overall effectiveness as Good at its inspection in June 2024, on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?: Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has 205 pupils on roll.
What ages does Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School take?: Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School admits pupils aged 3 to 11.
Where is Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School located?: Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is located in Barnsley, S72 9EJ, Barnsley.
How do I apply to Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?: Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for primary places is 15 January.
Does Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School have a religious character?: Yes — Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has a religious character of Church of England. Faith criteria may apply to admissions; check the school's oversubscription policy for details.
How are Reception places decided at Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?: When Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked after and previously looked after children — First, to Looked After Children (LAC), Previously Looked After Children (PLAC), and children who have been in state care outside of England (IPLAC); 2. Sibling — Second, to children with brothers and/or sisters attending the school on the proposed date of admission. Siblings must be attending in Reception to Year 11 at the time of admission; this does not include Penistone post-16 centre; 3. Distance from the school — Third, to children living nearest the school; the distance to be measured by a straight line between the centre point of the child’s ordinary place of residence and the main entrance to the school building. The school offers 30 places at this entry point. Tie-break: Straight-line distance from the centre point of the home to the main entrance of the school building.
What is the largest ethnic background at Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 91.7% of pupils at Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

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