Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School, Nelson
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Nelson. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 16 schools in Nelson with published results, and 637th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.4 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School in detail
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Our vision is to be a school where all can flourish and grow in God's love. Barrowford St Thomas' CE Primary school is a church school with a strong Christian ethos. At Barrowford St Thomas our vision is that pupils will have a positive experience and understanding of Christianity, developing their own spirituality."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, cricket, cross-country, gardening, art and book club.
Coming up: an admissions event on Thursday 19 November 2026 at 10am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Lancashire
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils at Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 88% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 84% in reading and 79% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 23 families put Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 75 named it as one of their preferences, for 17 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School are Barrowford School (0.4 miles, Good, 72% reading, 60% maths); Holy Saviour Roman Catholic Primary School, Nelson (0.7 miles, Good, 93% reading, 96% maths); Lomeshaye Junior School (0.9 miles, Good, 88% reading, 95% maths); and Roughlee Church of England Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths).
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Barrowford SchoolHoly Saviour Roman Catholic Primary School, NelsonLomeshaye Junior SchoolRoughlee Church of England Primary School
Who goes there
11.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 13 pupils (10.7%) received SEN support and 4 (3.3%) 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.
Staffing
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 24 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Nelson Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Warren Drive (by), 130 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England 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; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its September 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
11.6%
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 improved from 84% to 100% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 79% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 89% to 100% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.5
Avg class size
18.0
Infant (KS1)
33.0
KS2
2
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 Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School
Term dates
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Lancashire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Barrowford St Thomas Church of England 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Barrowford St Thomas Church of England 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 Barrowford St Thomas Church of England 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
102%
Over capacity
121 pupils
119 places
2 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Nelson
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Nelson
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(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
13
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
14.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
121
Total Pupils
53
Boys
68
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
24.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,375
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,446
Per pupil
£710k
Total funding
£12k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.4%
Overall absence
7.8%
Persistent absence
102
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 100% reached the expected standard in reading and 88% did so in maths.
What is Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2023.
What is the catchment area for Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Barrowford St Thomas Church of England 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 Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School average 25.5 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 Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School has around 121 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
3.4% of sessions were missed at Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 7.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Barrowford St Thomas Church of England 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.
How many road collisions happen near Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School is at Wheatley Lane Road, Barrowford, Nelson, Lancashire, BB9 6QT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)