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Voluntary controlled school · Cheshire West and Chester

Barrow CofE Primary School

  • 4–11Ages
  • 48Pupils
  • PrimaryPhase
  • Church of EnglandReligious character
  • 111270URN

Barrow, School Lane, Great Barrow, Chester, CH3 7HW · School website

This school is due to be replaced by Barrow CofE Primary School.

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Special measures

Safeguarding standards not met

Report card · inspected Feb 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.3per place
0.9 below Cheshire West and Chester median (2.2)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Cheshire West and Chester

12 applications for 9 places
Every year since 2014
SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25
33%met the expected standard
Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Special measures

Safeguarding: standards not met at the latest report card inspection

Report card · inspected 24 February 2026Published 31 March 2026 · safeguarding standards not met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Early yearsExpected standard
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceUrgent improvement
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 24 February 2026
    Report card · 1 Strong standard, 5 Expected standard, 1 Urgent improvement
  2. 27 June 2023
    Graded inspection: Requires improvement
  3. 27 April 2022
    Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry
1.3applications per place, Reception
0.9 below Cheshire West and Chester median (2.2) 0.9 below England median (2.2)

12 applications · 9 places offered · 8 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

  1. 2026 1.3; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.2
  2. 2025 1.6; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.2
  3. 2024 2.7; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.2
  4. 2023 2.5; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.2
  5. 2022 2.1; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.1
  6. 2021 2.8; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
  7. 2020 1.9; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
  8. 2019 1.4; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
  9. 2018 3.2; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
  10. 2017 2.0; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
  11. 2016 1.3; Cheshire West and Chester median median 1.9
  12. 2015 1.6; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
  13. 2014 1.8; Cheshire West and Chester median median 2.0
  • This school
  • Cheshire West and Chester median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20269121.380.89
Sep 20258131.670.88
Sep 2024382.731.00
Sep 20234102.530.75
Sep 20228172.181.00
Sep 20214112.841.00
Sep 20208151.981.00
Sep 201910141.490.90
Sep 20186193.261.00
Sep 20178162.070.88
Sep 201612151.3121.00
Sep 201511181.6100.91
Sep 201411201.8111.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 50% · Writing 50% · Maths 33% → all three 33% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard33%109th of 113 in Cheshire West and Chester
Reading
Expected standard50%
Higher standard17%
Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)
Writing
Expected standard50%
Greater depth17%
Maths
Expected standard33%
Higher standard0%
Average scaled score 98 (100 = expected standard)
  • This school
  • Cheshire West and Chester median
  • England median
Every year as a table
YearExpected standardHigher standardReading scoreMaths score
2024/2533%0%10298
2023/24
2022/2367%0%106102

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type
Voluntary controlled school
Phase
Primary
URN · DfE number
111270 · 896/3149
Religious character
Church of England
Capacity
98 pupils · 48 on roll
Free school meals
16.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address
Barrow, School Lane, Great Barrow, Chester, CH3 7HW
Local authority
Cheshire West and Chester

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources