SchoolScoresBarrow CofE Primary School
Voluntary controlled school · Primary, ages 4 to 11 · Mixed · Church of England
Barrow, School Lane, Great Barrow, Chester, CH3 7HW · Proposed to close
01244 445154 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 24 February 2026 , published 31 March 2026.
In short: 1 strong, 5 expected, 1 urgent improvement, and safeguarding not met.
Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.
Category of concern: Special measures. Ofsted will monitor the school closely until it improves.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. | Not met |
| InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. | Strong standard Second of five grades. Better than the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Early yearsNursery and reception classes. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. | Urgent improvement The lowest of five grades. Ofsted found serious weaknesses that need fixing quickly. |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
20 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026.
Chester comparisons use the 4 of its 41 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 37 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Chester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school 1st highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Chester. Higher than 87% of 1,091 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100% | 92% | 83% |
| My child feels safe at this school 1st highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Chester. Higher than 85% of 1,091 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100% | 94% | 85% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 1st highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Chester. Higher than 93% of 1,091 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100% | 91% | 78% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 17 parents who had raised a concern 1st highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Chester. Higher than 95% of 1,062 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100% | 85% | 74% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 1st highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Chester. Higher than 85% of 1,091 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100%said yes | 89% | 83% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 39%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Chester figures pool parents at the Chester schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
6 pupils in this year group.
Only 6 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.
33% — 28 points below the Cheshire West and Chester average, and 29 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Cheshire West and Chester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 33% | 61% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 6% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 50% | 76% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 50% | 72% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 33% | 74% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 102 | 106 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 98 | 105 | 105 |
Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Cheshire West and Chester. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were fewer first-choice applications than places.
| Places offered | 9 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 8 |
| Of those, offered a place | 8 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 12 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 0.9 · 2026: 0.9
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
This is a Church of England school, but as a voluntary controlled school its admissions are set by the council, which usually doesn't prioritise by faith. Check the council's admissions criteria.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Cheshire West and Chester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 9th highest of 40 state primary schools in Chester. Higher than 50% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 21.6% | 20.2%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 9th highest of 40 state primary schools in Chester. Higher than 87% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 5.9% | 3.9%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 25th highest of 40 state primary schools in Chester. Higher than 19% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 9.8% | 13.9%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 33rd highest of 40 state primary schools in Chester. Higher than 16% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 2.0% | 9.2%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 28th lowest of 40 state primary schools in Chester. Lower than 42% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 5.3% | 5.0%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 28th lowest of 40 state primary schools in Chester. Lower than 51% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 11.5% | 11.5%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils Joint 1st lowest of 40 state primary schools in Chester. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0 | 1.9 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once Joint 1st lowest of 40 state primary schools in Chester. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 38th highest of 40 state primary schools in Chester. Higher than 8% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 15.0 | 19.8 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 37th highest of 40 state primary schools in Chester. Higher than 8% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 7.7 | 10.6 | 10.6 |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26.
Nearby primary schools
- Guilden Sutton CofE Primary School 1.5 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2017), confirmed 2024 · 84% met expected standard (KS2)
- Mickle Trafford Village School 1.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- Tarvin Primary School 1.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2012, before conversion), confirmed 2023 · 82% met expected standard (KS2)
- Ashton Hayes Primary School 2.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2022 · 44% met expected standard (KS2)
- Oldfield Primary School 2.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013, before conversion), confirmed with concerns 2023 · 58% met expected standard (KS2)
- Christleton Primary School 2.6 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 53% met expected standard (KS2)
- Waverton Community Primary School 2.9 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 6 expected, 1 needs attention · 77% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Barrow CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Barrow CofE Primary School was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 24 February 2026. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 1 strong, 5 expected, 1 urgent improvement, and safeguarding was not met.
How did Barrow CofE Primary School do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 29 points below the England average of 62%.
Would parents recommend Barrow CofE Primary School?
100% of the 20 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026 said they would recommend Barrow CofE Primary School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Barrow CofE Primary School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 8 families put Barrow CofE Primary School as their first choice for 9 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 8 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 111270.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 10 November 2025 to 6 April 2026.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.