St Barnabas CofE Primary School, Barnetby, Barnetby

Ofsted's report card from its 3 February 2026 inspection grades St Barnabas CofE Primary School, Barnetby on 7 areas: 1 needs attention and 6 urgent improvement. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Leaders, who have recently joined the school, have renewed the school's approach to managing pupils' behaviour."

Achievement - Urgent improvement. "Pupils do not achieve well enough."

Curriculum and teaching - Urgent improvement. "Across most subjects, the curriculum does not precisely identify the knowledge that pupils need to learn at each stage."

Early years - Urgent improvement. "Children in the early years do not receive an education that meets their needs or stage of development."

Inclusion - Urgent improvement. "Leaders do not identify the needs of pupils who are in receipt of pupil premium funding clearly."

Leadership and governance - Urgent improvement. "Leadership and governance have both experienced a period of instability since the previous inspection."

Personal development and wellbeing - Urgent improvement. "The personal development offer is limited."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Those responsible for governance must act with urgency to ensure that leaders have the capacity and support they need to bring about rapid school improvement"; "Leaders must ensure that the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of pupil premium funding accurately identifies and reduces barriers to the learning and achievements of these pupils"; "Leaders must improve the curriculum, across all subjects, so that it identifies clearly the knowledge that pupils need to learn at each stage and that this builds effectively on what pupils know already"; "Leaders must continue their work to upskill staff to ensure that staff deliver the curriculum effectively and in line with leaders' expectations"; "Leaders must ensure that pupils at all stages secure the foundational knowledge that they need in communication and language, reading, writing and mathematics so that pupils are prepared well for their next steps in learning"; "Leaders must develop the quality of education and provision in the early years, including making sure that staff understand how children learn"; "Leaders should continue to improve pupils' attendance so that more pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, attend school every day and on time"; "Leaders should continue their work to ensure that staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour at all times of the school day".

In its own words: "Love is one of the Kingdom values. It is seen through all the relationships in our school. We strive to love life, love learning and love one another. ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart'. Colossians 3:23 Compassion is about having empathy with someone, it is stronger than just 'sympathy'."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Saint Barnabas is a small, friendly, caring church school, and we take great pride in playing a central part in village life and use the local church for many of our community services."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils at St Barnabas CofE Primary School, Barnetby reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in North Lincolnshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 76% in reading and 90% in maths in 2024.

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

For September 2026 entry, 10 families put St Barnabas CofE Primary School, Barnetby as their first choice and 20 named it as one of their preferences, for 10 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Barnabas CofE Primary School, Barnetby are Wrawby St Mary's CofE Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 95% reading, 90% maths); Kirmington CofE Primary School (3.2 miles, Good, 50% reading, 70% maths); Grasby All Saints Church of England Primary School (3.4 miles, Good, 100% reading, 85% maths); and St Mary's Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy (Brigg) (3.6 miles, Good, 100% reading, 95% maths).

St Barnabas CofE Primary School, Barnetby's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

48 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Barnabas CofE Primary School, Barnetby (as of April 2026): 31% would recommend the school, 44% say their child is happy there and 7% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (48%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (7%).

2.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 10 pupils (7.9%) received SEN support and 7 (5.5%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Barnetby Rail Station, about 490 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cuthbert Avenue (opposite), 90 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 7 crimes within a mile of the school, most often other theft, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in North Lincolnshire (41).

In 2024/25, St Barnabas CofE Primary School, Barnetby issued 1 suspension, 0.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.