Community school · Lancashire

Barrowford School

4–11Ages
312Pupils
PrimaryPhase
119166URN

Rushton Street, Barrowford, Barrowford Primary School, Nelson, BB9 6EA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Apr 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.5per place

close to Lancashire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lancashire

47 applications for 19 places · 198th of 366 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

50%met the expected standard

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 21 April 2026Published 7 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching			Needs attention
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour			Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years			Needs attention
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance			Needs attention

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

21 April 2026
Report card · 2 Expected standard, 5 Needs attention
2 March 2022
Graded inspection: Good

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

2.5applications per place, Reception

close to Lancashire median (2.6) 0.3 above England median (2.2)

47 applications · 19 places offered · 16 named it first

2026 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 1.7; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 2.6; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 2.0; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 2.7; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 1.1; Lancashire median median 2.7
2019 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.6
2018 1.8; Lancashire median median 2.7
2017 1.5; Lancashire median median 2.5
2016 1.7; Lancashire median median 2.6
2015 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.5
2014 1.7; Lancashire median median 2.4

More applications per place than the Lancashire median in 1 of 13 years.

This school
Lancashire 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.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	19	47	2.5	16	0.84
Sep 2025	29	50	1.7	29	1.00
Sep 2024	20	52	2.6	18	0.90
Sep 2023	27	54	2.0	23	0.85
Sep 2022	18	48	2.7	15	0.83
Sep 2021	23	49	2.1	20	0.87
Sep 2020	43	45	1.1	25	0.58
Sep 2019	27	56	2.1	20	0.74
Sep 2018	43	77	1.8	18	0.42
Sep 2017	49	71	1.5	36	0.73
Sep 2016	43	71	1.7	33	0.77
Sep 2015	60	133	2.2	59	0.98
Sep 2014	60	102	1.7	48	0.80

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 72% · Writing 50% · Maths 60% → all three 50% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard50%331st of 444 in Lancashire

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard72%

Lancashire 77% England 78%

Higher standard23%

Lancashire 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard50%

Lancashire 74% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Lancashire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard60%

Lancashire 76% England 77%

Higher standard18%

Lancashire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Lancashire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	50%	0%	104	102
2023/24	50%	1%	105	103
2022/23	38%	0%	102	102

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

Barrowford SchoolThis school
This school

2026

2.5applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School
0.7 km · Lancashire

Outstanding2023

4.4applications per place 88%met the SATs standard
Holy Saviour Roman Catholic Primary School, Nelson
0.7 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2024

2.2applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Bradley Primary School
1.2 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2024

2.7applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Lomeshaye Junior School
1.6 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2022

80%met the SATs standard
Nelson St Philip's Church of England Primary School
1.6 km · Lancashire

Good2023

4.4applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Whitefield Infant School and Nursery
1.7 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.3applications per place
Blacko Primary School
1.9 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2022

3.3applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Colne Primet Primary School
1.9 km · Lancashire

Good2023

2.5applications per place 60%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 119166 · 888/2074
Capacity: 420 pupils · 312 on roll
Free school meals: 44.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: SEN unit
Address: Rushton Street, Barrowford, Barrowford Primary School, Nelson, BB9 6EA
Local authority: Lancashire · Pendle

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