Barlows Primary School, Liverpool
Barlows Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Liverpool. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 20th-highest of the 177 schools in Liverpool with published results, and 2,822nd of 14,452 across England. It was 96% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Liverpool (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Barlows Primary School in detail
Barlows Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Barlows Primary School, a vibrant two-form entry maintained primary school located in the heart of Fazakerley, within the dynamic city of Liverpool. For many years, we have proudly served as a cornerstone of the local community, deeply embedded in the social fabric of our area."
The school runs after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 88% of Year 6 pupils at Barlows Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 85% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 70% in Liverpool and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 67% in reading and 61% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Barlows Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 36 families put Barlows Primary School as their first choice and 75 named it as one of their preferences, for 47 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Barlows Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Barlows Primary School are Holy Name Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 77% reading, 84% maths); Longmoor Community Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 80% reading, 80% maths); Fazakerley Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 72% reading, 82% maths); and Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 71% reading, 70% maths).
Barlows Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Holy Name Catholic Primary SchoolLongmoor Community Primary SchoolFazakerley Primary SchoolBlessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School
What parents say
30 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Barlows Primary School (as of September 2025): 50% would recommend the school, 70% say their child is happy there and 44% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (70%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (44%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 91 pupils (22.4%) received SEN support and 24 (5.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Fazakerley Rail Station, about 280 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barlows Lane (adjacent), 70 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Barlows Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Barlows Primary School are Dixons Fazakerley Academy (0.6 miles) and Archbishop Beck Catholic College (0.6 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from September 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Barlows Primary School excels at creating a supportive, inclusive environment where all children thrive. The school prioritises reading and has successfully developed ambitious teaching across the curriculum with strong subject knowledge from staff. Your child will benefit from rich enrichment activities, excellent support if they have additional needs, and a culture where kindness, teamwork and high aspirations are at the heart of school life.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with rich language experiences from Nursery through fluent reader development - pupils are enthusiastic about reading
- Well-structured, ambitious curriculum with teachers demonstrating strong subject knowledge across all areas
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND who are identified quickly and provided with personalised, thoughtful support
- Warm, caring school culture where pupils feel happy, safe and supported - behaviour is respectful both in class and around school
- Wide range of enrichment opportunities designed to ensure equal access for all pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment approaches in some subjects are not fully developed, meaning gaps in pupils' learning are not routinely identified or addressed - the school needs to refine assessment practice
- Past weaknesses in curriculum delivery resulted in 2024 published data showing attainment significantly below national average in reading, writing and mathematics, though current pupils are now achieving well
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff and pupils demonstrating awareness of how to raise concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
Choir, cooking clubs, language clubs, sporting clubs, trips, school visitor experiences
Barlows Primary School is a warm and caring school where pupils support each other and behave well, creating a calm and purposeful atmosphere for learning. The school has established an ambitious, well-structured curriculum with strong teaching, though past weaknesses in reading, writing and mathematics have been addressed through effective action.
At a Glance
22.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
30 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 67% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 61% to 85% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 74% to 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.8
Avg class size
24.5
Infant (KS1)
29.1
KS2
15
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Barlows Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Barlows Primary School.
- Bloom @ BarlowsAt the school · Not yet graded
Term dates
Barlows Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Liverpool. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Friday 26 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Barlows Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Barlows Primary School is in Liverpool; for families living there:
- Liverpool's school travel policy: this document : Home to School Transport Policy 2026-27
- How to apply: Apply for a travel pass
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 20
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 13 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Liverpool is 32 (the median across 193 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Barlows Primary School
Will you get a place at Barlows Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Barlows Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Barlows Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Barlows Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Liverpool, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Barlows Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Liverpool got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
96%
Near capacity
403 pupils
420 places
17 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Liverpool
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Liverpool
Across Liverpool council
Places available
5,870
Applications
4,736
Got 1st preference
88.6%
Got preferred school
97.3%
All primary applications across Liverpool council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
91
SEN Support
24
EHC Plans
28.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
406
Total Pupils
223
Boys
183
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
16.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,158
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,415
Per pupil
£2472k
Total funding
£130k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.9%
Overall absence
19.6%
Persistent absence
363
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Barlows Primary School
Questions parents ask about Barlows Primary School
What are SATs results like at Barlows Primary School?
Of the pupils at Barlows Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 88% reached the expected standard in reading and 85% did so in maths.
What is Barlows Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Barlows Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Barlows Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Barlows Primary School is oversubscribed, Liverpool allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Barlows Primary School?
Barlows Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Barlows Primary School?
Classes at Barlows Primary School average 26.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Barlows Primary School?
Barlows Primary School has around 406 pupils on roll. 23% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Barlows Primary School?
6.9% of sessions were missed at Barlows Primary School in 2024/25. 19.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Barlows Primary School?
Apply through Liverpool's coordinated admissions process, naming Barlows Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Barlows Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Bloom @ Barlows (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Barlows Primary School's term dates?
Barlows Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Liverpool. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Friday 26 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027).
How many road collisions happen near Barlows Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 13 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Liverpool is 32 (the median across 193 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Barlows Primary School?
Barlows Primary School is at Barlows Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool, Merseyside, L9 9EH.
Sources: Liverpool term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)