Barnston Primary School, Wirral

Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~847m)Possible (~1.2km)Unlikely (~1.6km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Lynsey Thompson-Broom
Pupils:299 / 315 capacity
LA:Wirral
Phone:01513425229
Address:Sandham Grove, Heswall, Wirral, CH60 1XW
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 6 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 3 March 2026View full report
URN:105030
UKPRN:10076359
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Wirral West
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Barnston Primary School excels at creating a warm, welcoming environment where all children feel safe and valued. The school has strong systems for supporting pupils with additional needs and disadvantage, ensuring they access the full curriculum alongside their peers. Teachers know pupils well and are ambitious for their success, with particularly effective early reading and phonics teaching from Reception onwards.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils make secure progress and achieve above national averages in most areas
  • Warm relationships between staff and pupils with strong behaviour and attendance
  • Well-established early reading programme starting in Reception
  • Inclusive approach with effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs
  • Broad personal development programme with enrichment opportunities

Areas for Improvement

  • Inconsistencies in teaching of key writing knowledge mean some pupils have spelling and handwriting gaps
  • Year 4 multiplication tables performance below national average
  • Some pupils not receiving feedback of the same precision as peers in inclusion support
  • Governing body sometimes relies too heavily on leaders' own assurances rather than independent verification

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed.

Extracurricular Activities

Clubs, outings, charitable activities, leadership roles, residential visits, careers week

Barnston Primary School provides a broad and balanced curriculum with secure pupil progress and consistently above-average national assessment outcomes. The school has created a warm, inclusive environment where safeguarding is a priority and pupils feel safe and valued.

At a Glance

2.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+7ppMaths+2ppWriting+13pp

Reading has improved from 82% to 89%. Maths has remained stable at around 87%. Writing has improved from 82% to 95%.

Class Sizes

27.5

Avg class size

23.3

Infant (KS1)

29.7

KS2

11

Total classes

3 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Heswall Rail Station (Entrance)
718m · 12 min walk

Bus Stops

Barnston School (Sw-bound)
50m · 1 min walk
The Paddock (opp)
305m · 5 min walk
Ryecroft Road (opp)
318m · 5 min walk
Gayton Lane (opp)
433m · 7 min walk
Chalkwell Drive (adj)
437m · 7 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

95%

Near capacity

299 pupils

315 capacity

16 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Wirral

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,768
Projected new pupils:442

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Wirral

Admissions Demand - Wirral

Low demand0.76x oversubscription

Places available

3,860

Applications

2,952

Got 1st preference

96.0%

Got preferred school

99.1%

Primary admissions across Wirral (2025/26)

Inspection History(7)

3 March 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
30 June 2021
19 April 2016

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

Sign up free to see teacher and staff data

School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

Sign up free to see how this school is funded

Pupil Absence
2024/25

2.99862%

Overall absence

1.83824%

Persistent absence

272

Enrolments

Authorised2.6249%
Unauthorised0.37372%
Persistent (10%+)1.83824%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

2.7108%
18/19
1.35698%
20/21
4.14083%
21/22
3.85036%
22/23
2.9346%
23/24
2.99862%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.