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Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School

Primary Ages 4-11 94 pupils Grantham
Ofsted: Good
All schools in Grantham

Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School is a voluntary aided school in Grantham for pupils aged 4 to 11. It has a Church of England religious character. It has 94 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in April 2023. In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Ofsted inspection: April 2023. KS2 results: 2025.

Type Primary / Voluntary aided school
Age Range 4-11
Religion Church of England
Address Church Street
Barkston
Grantham
Lincolnshire
NG32 2NB
Phone 01400250553
Reference Number 120689

General Makeup

Number of pupils 94
Boy/Girl ratio Boys: 53.19%
Girls: 46.81%
Percentage of students eligible for free school meals 14.9%
Percentage of students where English is not their first language 7.4%

Class Sizes

Average size of one teacher classes 23.5
Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher 18.5
Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher 28.5

Year Groups

Year Boys Girls Total
1 7 7 14
2 7 6 13
3 2 9 11
4 7 8 15
5 11 3 14
6 8 9 17

Ethnicities

Ethnicity Percentage
White, British 81.9%
White & Asian 4.3%
White, Other 3.2%
Caribbean 3.2%
African 2.1%
Chinese 1.1%
Unclassified 1.1%
White & Black (African) 1.1%
Mixed, Other 1.1%

Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School maintains its position as a good school, providing a welcoming and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and respected. Pupils enjoy their learning across a wide range of subjects and are well-prepared for their next educational steps. Overall, there is a strong emphasis on reading and mathematics, with structured curriculums that help students build their knowledge incrementally. The school promotes positive behavior and values, fostering a sense of responsibility among its pupils.

Overall Ofsted Rating Good
Last Report Date 28 Feb 2023
Date Report
28 Feb 2023 School inspection
24 Jan 2018 Short inspection
27 Feb 2014 Full inspection:
09 Jan 2012 Interim assessment
19 Mar 2009 Full inspection:
01 Jul 2008 Curriculum and development visit
30 Jan 2006 Full inspection:
10 Jan 2000 Full inspection

Strengths

  • The school provides a welcoming and inclusive environment.
  • Pupils feel safe and are well-prepared for their next steps in education.
  • Staff effectively teach phonics and early reading.
  • The mathematics curriculum is logically ordered and coherently planned.
  • Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well alongside their peers.
  • Leaders prioritize reading and actively promote a love of books.

Areas for Improvement

  • Inconsistent use of assessment information to identify gaps in learning.
  • Limited opportunities for pupils to learn about diversity and equality.

How many students meet the standards

Reading, Writing & Maths School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Pupils meeting the expected standard 57%
Pupils meeting a higher standard 7%

Average Scaled Score

Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.

Subject School Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Reading 106
Maths 106

Progress Scores

A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.

Metric School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Reading 0.4
Writing 0.2
Maths -1.2

How many students meet the standards

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Average Scaled Score

Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.

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Progress Scores

A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.

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Reception admissions, 2026 entry

Number of Applications Number of Offers
First Preference
Second Preference 13 0
Third Preference 9 0
From another Local Authority 0 0

Previous years

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Places and pupil numbers

In 2024–25 Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School had 101 pupils for 105 places. 4 places (3.8%) were unfilled.

Pupils and places

Reception intake in the “Ancaster Primary” planning area

Lincolnshire counted 59 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 53 in 2029–30, down 10%.

201020112012201320142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Places 105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105
Pupils 1101021061021051031061091051061061028992101
Unfilled 0.0%2.9%0.0%2.9%0.0%1.9%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%2.9%15.2%12.4%3.8%

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 Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School attended 96.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Authorised absence 2.7%2.6%2.5%2.1%2.4%2.1%1.1%5.4%2.9%3.0%3.0%
Unauthorised absence 0.1%0.1%0.1%0.6%0.5%0.8%0.6%1.0%1.1%0.8%1.0%
Severely absent pupils 0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%

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, 1.1% of pupils at Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

2010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.00.00.00.00.01.90.00.00.00.00.01.00.00.00.01.1
Permanent exclusions 0000000000000000

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 Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School had 18.8 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

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Pupils per adult 10.810.38.69.410.414.313.612.612.014.214.013.712.511.010.011.0
Teachers who left state teaching 0.0%0.0%16.1%9.7%16.7%0.0%3.9%0.0%18.0%19.6%0.0%28.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%–
Teachers who took any sick leave 66.7%25.0%44.4%44.4%50.0%0.0%42.9%83.3%57.1%–40.0%–––60.0%–
Sick days per teacher 1.41.97.317.618.50.03.917.730.6–0.8–––10.8–

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, 12.8% of pupils at Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

SEN support EHC plan
Moderate learning difficulty 4 0
Autistic spectrum disorder 1 1
Social, emotional and mental health 2 0
Speech, language and communication needs 2 0
Specific learning difficulty 2 0
Vision impairment 1 0

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 Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School received £7,753 and spent £8,169 for each of its 94 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £32,000 (£340 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

20192020202120222023202420252026
Revenue reserve £6,000-£21,000£27,000£72,000£90,000£72,000£71,000£32,000
per pupil £57-£196£254£699£977£763£748£340
In-year balance -£15,000-£27,000£48,000£45,000£18,000-£18,000-£1,000-£39,000
per pupil -£141-£251£455£440£194-£193-£7-£416

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

Name Distance
Belton Lane Community Primary School
Green Lane, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9PP
2.65 miles
The Marston Thorold's Charity Church of England School
School Lane, Marston, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 2HQ
2.82 miles
Cliffedale Primary School
Northcliffe Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 8DP
2.96 miles
The St Sebastian's Church of England Primary School, Great Gonerby
High Street, Great Gonerby, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 8LB
2.97 miles
Belmont Community Primary School
Harrowby Lane, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9LR
3 miles
The Harrowby Church of England Primary School
New Beacon Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9LJ
3.1 miles
The Gonerby Hill Foot Church of England Primary School
Gonerby Road, Gonerby Hill Foot, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 8HQ
3.14 miles
Wyndham Park Nursery School
Hill Avenue, Grantham, NG31 9BB
3.23 miles
The Little Gonerby Church of England Primary Academy, Grantham
Sandon Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9AZ
3.25 miles
Saint Mary's Catholic Voluntary Academy
Sandon Close, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9AX
3.35 miles
St Wulfram's National Church of England Primary School
Castlegate, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6SR
3.53 miles
Poplar Farm School
Helmsley Road, Grantham, NG31 8XF
3.57 miles
Ancaster CofE Primary School
Mercia Drive, Ancaster, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 3QQ
3.64 miles
St Anne's Church of England Primary School, Grantham
Harrowby Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9ED
3.9 miles
The Isaac Newton Primary School
Dysart Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7DG
4.09 miles
Huntingtower Community Primary Academy
Huntingtower Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7AU
4.13 miles
Caythorpe Primary School
High Street, Caythorpe, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 3DR
4.15 miles
Barrowby Church of England Primary School
Church Street, Barrowby, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 1BX
4.5 miles
Allington with Sedgebrook Church of England Primary School
Marston Lane, Allington, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 2DY
4.52 miles
West Grantham Church of England Primary Academy
Trent Road, Grantham, NG31 7XQ
4.57 miles
Name Distance
Esland Grantham School
Newton Chambers, Isaac Newton Way, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9RT
2.95 miles
The Priory Ruskin Academy
Rushcliffe Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 8ED
2.96 miles
Newton Bridge Academy
Sandon Close, Sandon Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9AX
3.37 miles
The King's School, Grantham
Brook Street, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6RP
3.43 miles
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
Sandon Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9AU
3.53 miles
Grantham College
Stonebridge Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9AP
3.57 miles
West Grantham Church of England Secondary Academy
The Avenue, Grantham, NG31 7PX
4.31 miles
Greenfields Academy
Great North Road, Grantham, NG31 7UX
4.67 miles
Walton Academy
Harlaxton Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7JR
4.83 miles

All schools in Grantham · Lincolnshire local authority: places and applications

What is Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in April 2023.

When was Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School was last inspected in April 2023.

How many pupils does Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School have?

Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School has 94 pupils on roll.

What age range does Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School cover?

Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School?

Barkston and Syston CofE Primary School is at Church Street, Barkston, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 2NB.

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