Barrow URC Primary School, Clitheroe
Barrow URC Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Clitheroe. It has an United Reformed Church religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 12 schools in Clitheroe with published results, and 749th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Barrow URC Primary School in detail
Barrow URC Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Barrow Primary School, a thriving and nurturing primary school nestled in the heart of the Ribble Valley. At Barrow, we take pride in fostering an environment where children are supported to 'be the best they can be,' evident in our impressive results. What sets Barrow apart is our equal emphasis on valuing and nurturing personal development."
The school runs after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at Barrow URC Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 97% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 87% in reading and 84% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Barrow URC Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 40 families put Barrow URC Primary School as their first choice and 100 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 10 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Barrow URC Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Barrow URC Primary School are Whalley Church of England Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 88% reading, 88% maths); St James' Church of England Primary School, Clitheroe (1.7 miles, Good, 73% reading, 64% maths); Edisford Primary School (1.8 miles, Good, 86% reading, 86% maths); and St Michael and St John's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (1.9 miles).
Barrow URC Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Whalley Church of England Primary SchoolSt James' Church of England Primary School, ClitheroeEdisford Primary SchoolSt Michael and St John's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Who goes there
5.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 18 pupils (8.7%) received SEN support and 3 (1.5%) 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 autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Whalley Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is County Primary School (by), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Barrow URC Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 9 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and drug offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).
Suspensions and exclusions
Barrow URC Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
The school is determined for pupils to be the best that they can be. Pupils embrace this ambition in how they behave in and around the school. Their behaviour is exemplary and underpinned by their strong moral values. Pupils are respectful and courteous towards one another, which helps them to feel happy at school.
Pupils are provided with a positive start to their education. This stems from the high levels of ambition the school has for its pupils. Many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across much of the curriculum.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has carefully considered the important knowledge that pupils should learn across the curriculum. In most cases, teachers use this information well to design learning activities that deepen pupils' knowledge. Teachers use their understanding of what pupils know and remember well to address gaps in pupils' learning. High-quality training enables many staff to deliver the curriculum effectively across a number of subjects. This ensures that pupils achieve well.
In one or two subjects, some teachers do not have the knowledge that they need to be able to deliver curriculum content effectively. In some cases, the learning activities that pupils complete do not deepen their knowledge or help them connect their learning with what they already know and can do. As a result, in these subjects, some pupils do not learn as well as they could.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
5.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 84% to 97% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 74% to 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.0
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
28.0
KS2
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Barrow URC Primary School
Ribble Valley Cross Country Competition
15 Oct 2026
Harvest Festival
15 Oct 2026
Outdoor RE lesson for Elm Class
9 Oct 2026
Kids Cup Tournament
1 Oct 2026
Happy 150th Birthday, Barrow!
25 Sep 2026
MMADD Week at Barrow!
24 Sep 2026
From Barrow URC Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Barrow URC Primary School
Term dates
Barrow URC Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Lancashire. 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 Thursday 25 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)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Barrow URC Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Barrow URC Primary School is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 8 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 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 Barrow URC Primary School
Will you get a place at Barrow URC Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Barrow URC Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Barrow URC Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Barrow URC Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Barrow URC Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Lancashire 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
93%
Near capacity
195 pupils
210 places
15 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Clitheroe
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Clitheroe
Across Lancashire council
Places available
15,442
Applications
12,122
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
18
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
10.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
206
Total Pupils
123
Boys
83
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
20.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,647
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,145
Per pupil
£1077k
Total funding
£17k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
7.8%
Persistent absence
166
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
Barrow URC Primary School
Questions parents ask about Barrow URC Primary School
What are SATs results like at Barrow URC Primary School?
Of the pupils at Barrow URC Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 97% did so in maths.
What is Barrow URC Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Barrow URC Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2013 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Barrow URC Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Barrow URC Primary School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Barrow URC Primary School?
Barrow URC Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Barrow URC Primary School?
Classes at Barrow URC Primary School average 29 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 Barrow URC Primary School?
Barrow URC Primary School has around 206 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Barrow URC Primary School?
4% of sessions were missed at Barrow URC Primary School in 2024/25. 7.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Barrow URC Primary School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Barrow URC 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.
What are Barrow URC Primary School's term dates?
Barrow URC Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Lancashire. 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 Thursday 25 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). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Barrow URC Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 8 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Barrow URC Primary School?
Barrow URC Primary School is at Old Row, Barrow, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 9AZ.
Sources: Lancashire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)