Schools by area › Cheshire West and Chester › Barrow CofE Primary School
Barrow CofE Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Voluntary controlled
Barrow, School Lane, Great Barrow, Chester CH3 7HW · barrowcofeschool.com · 01244 445154
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Feb 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade · safeguarding standards not met
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 33%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Cheshire West and Chester 61%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2026 entry · Cheshire West and Chester Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 48
- 49% of 98 places
- Local authority
- Cheshire West and Chester
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 16.7%
- First language not English
- 2.1%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Cheshire West and Chester Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 8 families put the school first and 9 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 9 | 8 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 8 | 7 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 4 | 3 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 33% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 0% the higher standard. Across Cheshire West and Chester it was 61%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▼33% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼102 | 106 | ||
| ▼98 | 105 | ||
| ▼101 | 105 | ||
hidden: too few pupils to publish
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Barrow CofE Primary School on 24 February 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade. Safeguarding standards were not met.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Strong standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Urgent improvement
- Inspected
- 24 Feb 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Not met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Strong standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Urgent improvement |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jun 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Jun 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Apr 2022Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Dec 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Jun 2008Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Requires improvement
What parents said
100% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (20 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 100%
- Positive
- 100%
- Replies
- 20
- 39% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 85% who raised concerns
based on 3 parents (15%) whose child was bullied
based on 2 parents (10%) with SEND