Ofsted: Outstanding trending_up Popular emoji_events #103 in Suffolk public Top 42% UK

Barrow Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Helen Ashe

location_onBury St Edmunds, IP29 5AU

language Visit Website phone 1284810223

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

201

school

Expected Standard

67%

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Demand Ratio

1.1x

summarize

Barrow Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a Voluntary controlled school primary school in Bury St Edmunds, serving ages 4-11. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade. Demand is above capacity (1.1×) — apply through your local authority on time. Ranks in the top 42% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Barrow Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a voluntary controlled school in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, admitting pupils aged 4-11. The school has approximately 207 pupils on roll, of whom 11% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 67% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 10% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #103 of 225 primaries in Suffolk and #8,263 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Outstanding, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Good.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.1× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 20.7:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.0 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

67%

LA 57%

Reading77% LA 73%

Writing77% LA 68%

Maths73% LA 69%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

60%

LA 55%England 61%

Reading77% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing77% LA 68% · Eng 72%

Maths60% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

61%

LA 54%England 60%

Reading87% LA 70% · Eng 73%

Writing65% LA 67% · Eng 71%

Maths78% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

1.1

Read

LA 0.0

-1.4 to 3.7

-3.2

Write

LA -0.4

-5.6 to -0.7

-1.5

Maths

LA -0.6

-4.0 to 0.9

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

24 September 2024

Inspection Report

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19 October 2011

Inspection Report

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30 June 2010

Inspection Report

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22 February 2007

Inspection Report

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16 September 2002

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2024-09-24

S5 Inspection EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Outstanding

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Good

2011-10-19

S5 Inspection EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2007-02-22

None EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

1.0%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.0%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 207 pupils. During this period, there were 2 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.0%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	207	2	1.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	206	2	1.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	209	0	0.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	212	3	1.4%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	212	7	3.3%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	202	3	1.5%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	201	1	0.5%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	204	5	2.5%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	189	1	0.5%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	188	1	0.5%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	186	0	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	165	0	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	163	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	159	2	1.3%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	141	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	141	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	144	0	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	148	0	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	148	1	0.7%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	149	2	1.3%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	148	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	148	2	1.4%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	149	1	0.7%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	147	3	2.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	149	5	3.4%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	147	2	1.4%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 6 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 5 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 2 pupils

Visual Impairment 2 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils

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Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

94.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

96.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

6.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree80%

agree18%

disagree1%

don't know1%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree84%

agree15%

disagree1%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree47%

agree14%

disagree5%

strongly disagree1%

don't know3%

not applicable30%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes16%

no84%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree67%

agree25%

disagree8%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree65%

agree24%

disagree4%

don't know7%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree68%

agree27%

disagree4%

strongly disagree1%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree65%

agree30%

disagree5%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree86%

agree14%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree88%

agree12%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree74%

agree16%

disagree5%

don't know4%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes92%

no8%

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Church of England)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Suffolk

The Albert Pye Community Primary School

Lavenham Community Primary School

Red Oak Primary School

Woodhall Primary School

Abbots Green Primary Academy

Poplars Community Primary School