St Columba's School, Barrow-in-Furness
St Columba's School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Barrow-in-Furness. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 18th-highest of the 20 schools in Barrow-in-Furness with published results, and 14,037th of 14,452 across England. It was 96% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Westmorland and Furness (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Columba's School in detail
St Columba's School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to St Columba's Catholic Primary School: From Mrs C O'Donnell our Headteacher It is our ultimate aim at St Columba's to educate the 'Whole Child' so that they are valued for their uniqueness, feel truly loved and know that God is there for them in their life."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 60% of Year 6 pupils at St Columba's School reached the expected standard in reading and 37% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Westmorland and Furness and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 80% in reading and 80% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Columba's School
For September 2026 entry, 21 families put St Columba's School as their first choice and 40 named it as one of their preferences, for 21 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Columba's School are South Walney Infant and Nursery School (0.2 miles, Good); South Walney Junior School (0.3 miles, 83% reading, 83% maths); Vickerstown School (0.5 miles, 27% reading, 23% maths); and Barrow Island Community Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 63% reading, 58% maths).
St Columba's School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
South Walney Infant and Nursery SchoolSouth Walney Junior SchoolVickerstown SchoolBarrow Island Community Primary School
Who goes there
8.5% 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, 35 pupils (16.5%) received SEN support and 18 (8.5%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Park Lane (at), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 113 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Columba's 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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from June 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2012 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
8.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 80% to 60% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 80% to 37% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 70% to 60% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.3
Avg class size
24.7
Infant (KS1)
28.0
KS2
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
1 unlawfully large infant class
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Columba's School
From St Columba's School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Columba's School
Term dates
St Columba's School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Westmorland and Furness's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Columba's School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Columba's School is in Westmorland and Furness; for families living there:
- Westmorland and Furness's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy 2027 to 2028 (Reception to Year 11)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 13 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
2 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 Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 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 St Columba's School
Will you get a place at St Columba's School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Columba's School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Columba's School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Columba's School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Westmorland and Furness, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Columba's School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Westmorland and Furness 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
96%
Near capacity
194 pupils
203 places
9 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Barrow-in-Furness
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barrow-in-Furness
Across Westmorland and Furness council
Places available
2,590
Applications
1,692
Got 1st preference
96.1%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across Westmorland and Furness council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
35
SEN Support
18
EHC Plans
25.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
212
Total Pupils
100
Boys
112
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
21.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£63,970
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,275
Per pupil
£1129k
Total funding
£33k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
10.2%
Persistent absence
167
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
St Columba's School
Questions parents ask about St Columba's School
What are SATs results like at St Columba's School?
Of the pupils at St Columba's School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 60% reached the expected standard in reading and 37% did so in maths.
What is St Columba's School's Ofsted rating?
St Columba's School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Columba's School?
No fixed boundary. When St Columba's School is oversubscribed, Westmorland and Furness allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Columba's School?
St Columba's School was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Columba's School?
Classes at St Columba's School average 26.3 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 St Columba's School?
St Columba's School has around 212 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Columba's School?
4.8% of sessions were missed at St Columba's School in 2024/25. 10.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Columba's School?
Apply through Westmorland and Furness's coordinated admissions process, naming St Columba's 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 St Columba's School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 13 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 2 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 Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Columba's School?
St Columba's School is at Church Lane, Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 3AD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)