St Barnabas CofE Primary School

St Barnabas CofE Primary is a highly effective school with a strong community ethos and exceptionally supportive relationships. Inspectors found outstanding provision in behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years, while the quality of education was good. Pupils achieve well, especially in reading and writing by the end of key stage 2, and the school’s work on oracy is a notable strength. The curriculum is highly ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND, and early years children get an exceptionally positive start. Attendance is exceptionally positive, safeguarding is effective, and pupils benefit from an extensive range of personal development, enrichment and leadership opportunities. The main area for improvement is that, in a few subjects, teaching does not consistently take enough account of pupils’ individual needs. In some classes, learning is not adapted sufficiently to reflect pupils’ needs or to build on and address gaps in their previous learning. Leaders should refine assessment approaches in these subjects so that teaching consistently meets the needs of all pupils. The school is also taking action to improve phonics outcomes at key stage 1. Overall, this is a strong school with clear leadership and a well-understood improvement focus.

Strengths

• Exceptionally supportive relationships and a strong sense of community.
• Exemplary pupil behaviour, with calm, orderly and respectful conduct.
• Pupils achieve well, particularly in reading and writing by the end of key stage 2.
• Highly ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Strong oracy, with pupils confidently discussing their learning and achievements.
• Exceptionally positive early years provision where children thrive.
• SEND identified well and supported to access the same ambitious curriculum.
• Effective reading support, including phonics, grammar, comprehension and wider reading.
• Personal development is a major strength, with careers, cultural and leadership experiences.
• Extensive enrichment and community activities, including sports, music, debating and residentials.
• Exceptionally positive attendance, with decisive support for pupils who are absent.
• Governors hold the school to account exceptionally well, including for safeguarding.
• Comprehensive staff development and a strong commitment to staff workload and well-being.
• Effective safeguarding arrangements.

Areas for Improvement

• In a few subjects, teaching does not consistently take enough account of pupils’ individual needs.
• Learning is sometimes not adapted sufficiently to reflect pupils’ needs or address gaps in prior learning.
• Assessment approaches in these subjects need refining so teaching consistently meets all pupils’ needs.
• Phonics outcomes at key stage 1 are an identified area for improvement.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Barnabas CofE Primary School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.5% of pupils at St Barnabas CofE Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Barnabas CofE Primary School had 19.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 17.1% of pupils at St Barnabas CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 St Barnabas CofE Primary School received £8,151 and spent £8,033 for each of its 380 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £251,000 (-£662 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Worcester · Worcestershire local authority: places and applications

What is St Barnabas CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Barnabas CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was St Barnabas CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Barnabas CofE Primary School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does St Barnabas CofE Primary School have?

St Barnabas CofE Primary School has 380 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Barnabas CofE Primary School cover?

St Barnabas CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Barnabas CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 59% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Barnabas CofE Primary School?

St Barnabas CofE Primary School is at Green Lane, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR3 8NZ.