Barkway VA Church of England First School

Barkway VA Church of England First School is performing well, showcasing a nurturing and supportive environment for its pupils. The school effectively prioritizes the overall well-being of students, promoting safety and positive behaviours, which contributes to a good standard of education across various domains. Notably, the curriculum is ambitious and well-structured, allowing pupils to learn essential skills while fostering respect and understanding of diverse communities. The school's commitment to working closely with parents and specialists has proven beneficial, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Strengths

• Warm and welcoming school environment
• Effective support for vulnerable pupils, particularly those with SEND
• Strong focus on reading and phonics leading to rapid progress
• Ambitious and well-organized curriculum
• Positive behaviour and attitudes among pupils
• High levels of staff well-being and support
• Pupils' engagement in diverse cultural and community activities

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent use of questioning by some staff affects pupils' understanding
• Governors lack a clear understanding of the curriculum quality in subjects beyond English and mathematics

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 2013–14 pupils at Barkway VA Church of England First School attended 94.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 96.1%). 13.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 8.1%).

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, 0.0% of pupils at Barkway VA Church of England First 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 Barkway VA Church of England First School had 5.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Barkway VA Church of England First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 12.5% 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 2018–19 Barkway VA Church of England First School received £9,482 and spent £8,915 for each of its 34 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £20,000 (£598 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 North Hertfordshire · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Barkway VA Church of England First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Barkway VA Church of England First School is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was Barkway VA Church of England First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Barkway VA Church of England First School was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does Barkway VA Church of England First School have?

Barkway VA Church of England First School has 24 pupils on roll.

What age range does Barkway VA Church of England First School cover?

Barkway VA Church of England First School for pupils aged 4 to 9.

Where is Barkway VA Church of England First School?

Barkway VA Church of England First School is at 84 High Street, Barkway, Hertfordshire, SG8 8EF.