A BARNSLEY school which started life in a former college building with no playground or PE provision has quickly established itself as one of the town’s best.

Trinity Academy St. Edward’s opened in 2021 in Eastgate House, a former Barnsley College building in the town centre, as it awaited completion of its £25m campus on Keresforth Close, Broadway.

Despite the challenges and delays, partly caused by endangered bats being found on the new site, the school quickly found its path to success.

A visit from Ofsted inspectors in May 2024 while the school was still at its temporary home, saw it achieve a notable first for the town.

Last June, it was announced that it had become the only education setting in Barnsley to receive an outstanding grade in each of Ofsted’s four metrics. It was graded outstanding in quality of education, behaviour, personal development and leadership and management.

The Ofsted report said: “Pupils receive an exceptional education at this highly inclusive school. Pupils are welcomed into a school family and provided with a huge number of opportunities to learn and to develop their character.

“Leaders have the highest ambition for pupils. There is an unwavering determination from all staff to provide young people with the very best education. Staff are highly motivated and proud to work at the school.”

The school’s principal Mark Allen told the Chronicle at the time: “We are proud and overjoyed that our wonderful school and its community have been given this judgement by Ofsted. To be the first ever mainstream secondary school in Barnsley to achieve this is testament to the superb work of our staff and our trust.

“We have thoroughly enjoyed our journey at Eastgate this judgement is just the start point of even better things to come as we move to our new build. Our culture is driven on the highest expectations, working to overcome barriers, and enabling the children of Barnsley to succeed in their studies alongside developing their character. To be judged outstanding in all areas fills me with immense pride.”

The school moved to its purpose-built, high specification building in September 2024 and this year it is now at full capacity for the first time with 900 students including its first cohort of GCSE pupils.

Mr Allen said: “Our children continue to experience a world-class education, but now in a world-class building. Our breadth of offer now includes drama, a full suite of PE facilities, music rehearsal rooms, textiles, food technology and so much more.”

The school was also proud to receive a prestigious award recognising its efforts in supporting children to be happy.

It received the Edurio Pupil Choice Award ranking it among the top ten schools across the whole country. The award is based on the results, provided by students nationally, about how happy and looked after they feel within the school environment.

The award celebrates exceptional efforts in fostering an environment where pupils can thrive.

Principal Mark Allen said at the time: “We were delighted to receive this award as it is one voted for by our wonderful students and it is a reflection of how much they enjoy school and how happy they feel at St Edward’s. Edurio survey thousands of schools, so to be recognised as one of the top ten schools in the country is an amazing achievement.

“We are very proud of how inclusive, supportive and child-centred we are, awards like this reaffirm that and will reinforce to our parents how happy their children are at our school.

“As an outstanding school, we focus not only on the academic excellence of our students, but we also place real importance on their amazing experiences too.”

It was also named as one of only two Barnsley schools to be a ‘lead’ for the South Yorkshire Music Hub.

Led by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and funded by Arts Council England, the music hub is part of an ambitious programme to provide high-quality music education for all children and young people and to give them more opportunity to learn a musical instrument and develop a love of music.

“We’re really enjoying being a lead school and are sharing best practice with other schools,” said Mr Allen.

“Things are going really well, I am really proud of what we are achieving the children are fabulous, and the staff are amazing.”

The school has been nominated in the Proud of Barnsley School of the Year category.