Barrington CofE VC Primary School, Cambridge

Ofsted's report card from its 30 June 2026 inspection grades Barrington CofE VC Primary School on 7 areas: 2 expected standard and 5 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have established effective systems and processes that promote regular attendance and are having an effective impact."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have strengthened the personal development programme through carefully considered recent improvements."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' achievement in reading, writing and mathematics is not as high as it should be."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Generally, the curriculum is planned and sequenced appropriately."

Early years - Needs attention. "Children are resourceful and imaginative when engaging with the range of activities available throughout the early years."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Leaders have recently begun to take appropriate action to identify and assess pupils' barriers to learning."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of the school's strengths and the areas that require further improvement."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that curriculum design, assessment and classroom adaptations consistently meet pupils' needs effectively. This includes removing any barriers for those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities"; "Leaders should ensure that all staff consistently uphold high expectations for pupils' learning, so that all pupils achieve well across the curriculum"; "Leaders should ensure that interactions in the early years are of high quality and are effective in developing children's understanding and vocabulary"; "Leaders should check the effectiveness of new initiatives systematically and take swift action where intended improvements are not realised".

In its own words: "Our vision as a Church of England primary school, deeply rooted in a strong Christian tradition, is to develop happy, young people with enquiring minds, a lifelong love of learning, respect for themselves, others and the environment so that they will have the skills, resilience and adaptability to thrive in a rapidly changing world."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include netball, tennis, gymnastics, badminton and multi-sports.

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Barrington CofE VC Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 53% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 74% in Cambridgeshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 85% in reading and 85% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 27 families put Barrington CofE VC Primary School as their first choice and 49 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Barrington CofE VC Primary School are Haslingfield Endowed Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 85% reading, 70% maths); Foxton Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 67% reading, 78% maths); Harston and Newton Primary School (1.9 miles); and Petersfield CofE Aided Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 65% reading, 57% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Barrington CofE VC Primary School.

73 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Barrington CofE VC Primary School (as of September 2026): 67% would recommend the school, 75% say their child is happy there and 39% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (75%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (39%).

13.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 10.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

Barrington CofE VC Primary School had 14 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Foxton Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primary School (outside), 50 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57).

In 2024/25, Barrington CofE VC Primary School issued 4 suspensions, 2.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.