Barnsley’s schools continue to shine, with 94.5% of schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, exceeding our target and the national average of 90%. 

This is just one of the fantastic achievements highlighted in our latest performance report, which shows our progress between March and June 2024. 

Some of the highlights from the report include: 

Healthy Barnsley 

• Adult Social Care has also achieved success, with more older persons care home providers rated Good or Outstanding making sure people in Barnsley access all the care and support they need. 

Learning Barnsley  

• The take-up of childcare for eligible two-year-olds has exceeded targets for the second quarter, helping families access the scheme and removing barriers to employment by supporting parents with childcare. 

Growing Barnsley  

• We’ve seen 25% more visitors to the Town Centre and enjoying events such as matches at Barnsley FC, Flavours Food Festival, Barnsley Live Music Festival, the Armed Forces Day, three UEFA Euro 24 Games and the Barnsley 10k running race. 

Sustainable Barnsley  

• Visitors to our museums and outdoor sites continue to grow, with nearly 500,000 visitors – almost 100,000 more than expected. Events such as National Mills Weekend at Worsbrough Mill and Country Park, and a partnership with Heritage Doncaster to support older, isolated residents through free arts and heritage activities, have played a key role in this achievement. 

Our report also highlighted areas needing more attention. Overdue reviews for Adult Social Care users have risen above target. To address this, we’re taking a targeted approach with specialist teams and more staff to help with reviews and we’re also establishing a Care Home Quality team to provide additional support.  

Cllr Robert Frost, Cabinet Spokesperson for Core Services, said: “We're proud of the progress we've made in delivering positive outcomes for our residents, businesses, and communities.  

“Our refreshed Council Plan reaffirms our focus on delivering the services our residents rely on, while also addressing areas where further improvements are needed.  

“One of the key achievements has been the significant improvements in our schools, a testament to the dedication and hard work of our Children’s Services. This aligns with Barnsley’s Great Childhoods Ambition, inspiring and enriching young lives, ensuring that every child and young person has the opportunity to thrive in our place of possibilities.” 

Our latest performance report will be discussed at Cabinet on Wednesday 18 September. You can learn more about the progress we’ve made in making sure we’re on track to achieve our ambitions for the borough and areas for improvement on our web page.  

You can find out more information about the report in the cabinet papers on our website.