Barrowcliff School

Barrowcliff School has made significant progress since its last inspection, now rated as good overall. The school fosters a strong sense of community and pride among pupils, who feel safe and supported in their learning environment. Leaders have successfully implemented a revised behaviour policy that has led to a noticeable reduction in incidents of poor behaviour, allowing for focused and purposeful classrooms. The curriculum is ambitious, with a strong focus on early reading, and pupils develop independence through various extracurricular opportunities. However, some areas, such as the teaching of specific subjects, are still developing and need refinement to ensure all pupils achieve their fullest potential.

Strengths

• Strong focus on early reading and phonics instruction.
• Positive relationships established between leaders, staff, and parents.
• Effective management of pupil behaviour leading to calm classrooms.
• High-quality provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Engaging extracurricular activities that enhance pupil development.

Areas for Improvement

• Teaching quality in some subjects lacks clarity and consistency.
• Pupils do not fully understand key concepts like democracy and the rule of law.

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 Barrowcliff School attended 91.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 23.4% 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, 3.2% of pupils at Barrowcliff 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 Barrowcliff School had 21.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.1% 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, 11.9% of pupils at Barrowcliff School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.8% 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 Barrowcliff School received £9,470 and spent £9,407 for each of its 219 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £220,000 (-£1,006 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 Scarborough · North Yorkshire local authority: places and applications

What is Barrowcliff School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Barrowcliff School is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Barrowcliff School last inspected by Ofsted?

Barrowcliff School was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Barrowcliff School have?

Barrowcliff School has 219 pupils on roll.

What age range does Barrowcliff School cover?

Barrowcliff School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Barrowcliff School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 30% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Barrowcliff School?

Barrowcliff School is at Ash Grove, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 6NQ.