Ofsted: Expected standard trending_up Places Available emoji_events #71 in Westmorland and Furness public Top 84% UK

St Pius X Catholic Primary School, Barrow

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

person Mr Kevin McGoldrick (Headteacher)

corporate_fareMATER CHRISTI MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST

location_onBarrow-in-Furness, LA14 4AA

language Visit Website phone 01229828406

verified

Ofsted

Expected standard

Inspected 2026

groups

Students

220

school

Expected Standard

48%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

0.9x

summarize

St Pius X Catholic Primary School, Barrow is a Academy converter primary school in Barrow-in-Furness, serving ages 2-11. Assessed at Expected standard by Ofsted on its latest Report Card inspection. Ranks in the top 84% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

St Pius X Catholic Primary School, Barrow is an academy converter in Barrow-in-Furness, Westmorland and Furness, admitting pupils aged 2-11. It is part of MATER CHRISTI MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 210 pupils on roll, of whom 30% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 48% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 7% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #71 of 98 primaries in Westmorland and Furness and #12,255 of 14,159 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2026. The school's current overall rating is Expected standard. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Expected standard, behaviour and attitudes Expected standard, personal development Strong standard, and leadership and management Expected standard.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 19.0:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.5 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

48%

LA 57%

Reading56% LA 72%

Writing70% LA 68%

Maths70% LA 71%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

68%

LA 57%England 61%

Reading81% LA 75% · Eng 74%

Writing74% LA 70% · Eng 72%

Maths87% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

42%

LA 61%England 60%

Reading62% LA 78% · Eng 73%

Writing62% LA 75% · Eng 71%

Maths58% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.5

Read

LA 0.5

-3.0 to 2.0

1.4

Write

LA 0.2

-1.0 to 3.8

0.1

Maths

LA -0.9

-2.2 to 2.4

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Ranking History & Trajectory

National & Local Authority position based on DfE performance data · Methodology

Year	Primary Overall (Nat)	LA Rank	Attainment	Progress
2025	#12,255 / 14,159	#71	#11,820	#1
2024	#2,967 / 14,233	#3	#4,783	#1
2023	#10,166 / 13,940	#67	#11,739	#6,217

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

21 April 2026

Inspection Report

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06 January 2023

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2026-04-21

S5 Inspection REIF Report Card

Report Card

info

Why no single overall grade?

From autumn 2024 / 2025, Ofsted replaced single-word headline grades (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate) with individual area judgements on a Report Card.

Curriculum & Teaching

Expected standard

Achievement

Needs attention

Attendance & Behaviour

Expected standard

Personal Development

Strong standard

Inclusion

Expected standard

Leadership & Governance

Expected standard

Early Years

Expected standard

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2018-11-27

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2014-03-18

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

0.5%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

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

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.5%(1 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 216 pupils. During this period, there were 1 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.5%, which is below 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)	216	1	0.5%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	210	1	0.5%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	229	1	0.4%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	228	4	1.8%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	222	0	0.0%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	220	0	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	220	0	0.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	194	1	0.5%	0.6%

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 10 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 3 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 3 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Physical Disability 2 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.

Overall, how do parents view this school?

97%Positive

My child is happy at this school.

100%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

97%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

When bullying took place, the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.

strongly agree50%

strongly disagree50%

not applicable93%

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree73%

agree20%

strongly disagree3%

Neither agree nor disagree3%

When the school makes decisions it has the child's best interests at heart.

strongly agree73%

agree20%

Neither agree nor disagree3%

strongly disagree3%

The school gives my child the right support to enable them to learn well.

strongly agree80%

agree17%

strongly disagree3%

The school communicates well with me about the things I need to know.

strongly agree77%

agree20%

strongly disagree3%

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

strongly agree63%

agree20%

strongly disagree3%

not applicable10%

Neither agree nor disagree3%

Does your child have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)?

yes30%

no70%

My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree33%

agree56%

strongly disagree11%

Would you recommend this school to another parent?

yes97%

no3%

Top Primary Schools in Westmorland and Furness

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Sir John Barrow School

Outstanding

location_on Ulverston, LA12 0BD

emoji_events #1 in LA

Parkside Academy

Expected standard

location_on BARROW-in-FURNESS, LA13 9BY

emoji_events #3 in LA

Kirkby Stephen Primary School

Good

location_on Kirkby Stephen, CA17 4AE

emoji_events #4 in LA

Ghyllside Primary School

Good

location_on Kendal, LA9 4JB

emoji_events #5 in LA

Morland Area CofE Primary School

Good

location_on Penrith, CA10 3AT

emoji_events #6 in LA

Yanwath Primary School

Expected standard

location_on Penrith, CA10 2LA

emoji_events #7 in LA

View all schools in Westmorland and Furness arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ranking History & Trajectory

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Roman Catholic)

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

Overall, how do parents view this school?

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

When bullying took place, the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

When the school makes decisions it has the child's best interests at heart.

The school gives my child the right support to enable them to learn well.

The school communicates well with me about the things I need to know.

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 SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

Would you recommend this school to another parent?

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Westmorland and Furness

Sir John Barrow School

Parkside Academy

Kirkby Stephen Primary School

Ghyllside Primary School

Morland Area CofE Primary School

Yanwath Primary School