St Bartholomews CofE Primary School

St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School is currently facing challenges, particularly in the quality of education where improvements are necessary. Although the school demonstrates strengths in behavior, attitudes, and personal development, key areas, particularly reading, writing, and mathematics, require significant enhancement to meet expected outcomes for pupils by the end of key stage 2. This inspection marks the first routine assessment following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and some inconsistencies in curriculum implementation have been noted, which may hinder effective learning.

Strengths

• Pupils describe the school as a big family, fostering a strong sense of belonging and safety.
• The school has a vibrant and stimulating early years environment.
• Phonics is taught well, and pupils are encouraged to develop fluent reading skills.
• Pupils' personal development is strongly supported, teaching them about health, safety, and responsibility.
• Staff demonstrate passion and dedication, feeling supported with their workload.

Areas for Improvement

• Too many pupils do not achieve expected standards in reading, writing, and mathematics by the end of key stage 2.
• The teaching of reading beyond phonics lacks clarity and coherence in key stage 2.
• Inconsistencies in curriculum implementation mean some subjects are not taught effectively.
• The support for disadvantaged pupils does not consistently address their specific learning gaps.
• The school's improvement planning lacks precision for addressing key areas of concern effectively.

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 Bartholomews CofE Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.3% 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, 2.2% of pupils at St Bartholomews 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 Bartholomews CofE Primary School had 15.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 22.2% 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, 21.2% of pupils at St Bartholomews CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.1% 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 Bartholomews CofE Primary School received £10,226 and spent £10,116 for each of its 85 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £21,000 (£245 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 Spalding · Lincolnshire local authority: places and applications

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

The latest Ofsted rating for St Bartholomews CofE Primary School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in July 2024.

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

St Bartholomews CofE Primary School was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does St Bartholomews CofE Primary School have?

St Bartholomews CofE Primary School has 85 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Bartholomews CofE Primary School cover?

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

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

In 2025, 44% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Bartholomews CofE Primary School?

St Bartholomews CofE Primary School is at Leaveslake Drove, West Pinchbeck, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 3QJ.