Yarlside Academy

Yarlside Academy is a primary academy within the Furness Education Trust. This was its first routine inspection under section 5 and its first since the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspectors found exceptionally strong provision across every judged area, with pupils thriving, behaving impeccably and benefiting from a highly aspirational, broad curriculum. Published outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics are consistently well above the national average. The curriculum is meticulously designed and assessment is used skilfully to provide timely, tailored support. Phonics is delivered exceptionally well, pupils who find reading difficult are supported tenaciously, and pupils with SEND are accurately identified and make significant progress. Personal development is exceptional, with a wide range of enrichment, trips, extra-curricular activities and leadership opportunities. Staff benefit from highly effective professional development and morale is high, while trustees and governors understand their responsibilities and assure the quality of education. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The report identifies no areas for improvement or weaknesses; the school is performing at an outstanding level across all inspected domains.

Strengths

• Pupils behave impeccably and show high respect for each other and staff.
• Pupils are enthusiastic, focused and take their learning seriously.
• The curriculum is highly aspirational, broad and meticulously designed.
• Published reading, writing and mathematics results are consistently well above the national average.
• Assessment is carefully woven into lessons and used to provide timely, tailored support.
• Phonics is delivered exceptionally well, with reading materials precisely matched to pupils' phonics level.
• Pupils who find reading difficult are supported tenaciously and effectively.
• Pupils with SEND are accurately identified and make significant progress.
• Early years children retell nursery rhymes and stories accurately and build extensive vocabulary.
• Personal and character development is exceptional, enriched by trips, visitors and extra-curricular activities.
• Pupils contribute to the local community and proudly take on leadership roles.
• Staff benefit from highly effective professional development and staff morale is high.
• Trustees and governors understand their responsibilities and assure the quality of education.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

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 Yarlside Academy attended 97.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 1.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Yarlside Academy 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 Yarlside Academy had 28.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 28.6% 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, 6.6% of pupils at Yarlside Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.1% 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 2024–25 Yarlside Academy received £6,196 and spent £6,035 for each of its 241 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £497,000 (£2,068 per pupil).

Across all 7 schools of Furness Education Trust, income was £7,887 and spending £7,648 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Barrow-In-Furness · Westmorland and Furness local authority: places and applications

Yarlside Academy is part of Furness Education Trust, which runs 7 schools. The nearest others:

• Newton Village Academy Barrow-In-Furness
• Furness Academy Barrow-In-Furness
• Parkside Academy Barrow-In-Furness
• Victoria Academy Barrow-In-Furness
• Walney Academy Barrow-In-Furness
• Lindal and Marton Primary School Ulverston

What is Yarlside Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Yarlside Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Yarlside Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Yarlside Academy was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Yarlside Academy have?

Yarlside Academy has 242 pupils on roll.

What age range does Yarlside Academy cover?

Yarlside Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Yarlside Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 97% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Yarlside Academy?

Yarlside Academy is at Red Oak Avenue, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0LH.