Thomas Barnes Primary School, Tamworth
Thomas Barnes Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Tamworth, part of Tame Valley Co-Operative Learning Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 8th-highest of the 34 schools in Tamworth with published results, and 5,775th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Staffordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Thomas Barnes Primary School in detail
Thomas Barnes Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are four times in a row School Games Platinum Award winners! We have won the Tamworth Small School Athletics Tournament three times in a row! We gained our first Association for Physical Education Quality Mark, achieving a distinction!"
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 17 February 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Staffordshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at Thomas Barnes Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 80% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 77% in Staffordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 69% in reading and 85% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Thomas Barnes Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 16 families put Thomas Barnes Primary School as their first choice and 54 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 5 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Thomas Barnes Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Thomas Barnes Primary School are Coton Green Primary School (1.1 miles, 74% reading, 67% maths); Dunstall Park Primary School (1.2 miles); St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School (1.3 miles); and St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School (1.3 miles, Good, 54% reading, 58% maths).
Thomas Barnes Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 2 of them.
Coton Green Primary SchoolDunstall Park Primary SchoolSt Elizabeth's Catholic Primary SchoolSt Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School
The trust
Thomas Barnes Primary School is one of 2 schools run by Tame Valley Co-Operative Learning Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
10 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Thomas Barnes Primary School (as of April 2026): 80% would recommend the school, 80% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
7.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 9 pupils (8.5%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Tamworth Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Tame Otter PH (opposite), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 14 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and robbery. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Staffordshire (86).
Suspensions and exclusions
Thomas Barnes 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; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Location
Staffordshire published that the last place for 2026 entry went to a family 1.137 miles away (straight line). The cut-off moves every year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Thomas Barnes is a warm, inclusive school where children feel genuinely valued and secure. Reading is taught expertly with staff providing strong support for any child at risk of falling behind, and pupils develop a real love of books. The school offers excellent opportunities for children to develop their talents, whether in sports, music or through residential experiences that build confidence and teamwork.
Key Strengths
- Excellent behaviour and attitudes - pupils embrace the school's values of being cheerful, curious, cooperative, caring and confident
- Expert teaching of reading with regular phonics checks and strong support for pupils at risk of falling behind
- Wide range of sporting opportunities with pupils achieving success in competitive games, tournaments and national awards
- Extensive leadership opportunities for pupils that build resilience and confidence
- Strong curriculum planning that ensures pupils learn the right things in the right order with field trips bringing learning to life
Areas for Improvement
- In some foundation subjects, teachers miss opportunities to help pupils connect current learning to what they already know, which limits deeper understanding
- Writing activities are not always adapted well enough for pupils with SEND, preventing some from achieving as well as they could
- Teachers need better training in strategies to help pupils with SEND become more effective writers
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with pupils feeling safe, knowing how to keep themselves safe and feeling confident to seek help when needed.
Extracurricular Activities
Competitive sports, tournaments and galas, drums and flute lessons, outdoor residential experiences, sports leader activities, buddy reading programme, health and safety assemblies
Thomas Barnes Primary School is a welcoming school where pupils are proud to attend and relationships between staff and pupils are positive and friendly. Most pupils achieve well by the time they leave, with particularly strong teaching in reading and excellent behaviour and attitudes.
At a Glance
7.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
10 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 69% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 85% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 69% to 93% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.7
Avg class size
16.0
Infant (KS1)
30.5
KS2
3
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 Thomas Barnes Primary School
Term dates
Thomas Barnes Primary School is a foundation school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Staffordshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Thomas Barnes Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Thomas Barnes Primary School is in Staffordshire; for families living there:
Apply to Staffordshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 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 Thomas Barnes Primary School
Will you get a place at Thomas Barnes Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Thomas Barnes Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Thomas Barnes Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Thomas Barnes Primary School.
- Last distance offered for 2025 and 2026 entry, from Staffordshire's own figures, and how your distance compares each year.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Thomas Barnes Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Staffordshire 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
100%
Full
105 pupils
105 places
No spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Tamworth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Tamworth
Across Staffordshire council
Places available
10,768
Applications
8,344
Got 1st preference
95.1%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Staffordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
9
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
8.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
106
Total Pupils
54
Boys
52
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
17.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,694
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,534
Per pupil
£622k
Total funding
£8k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
9.0%
Persistent absence
89
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
Thomas Barnes Primary School
Questions parents ask about Thomas Barnes Primary School
What are SATs results like at Thomas Barnes Primary School?
Of the pupils at Thomas Barnes Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Thomas Barnes Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Thomas Barnes Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
How close to Thomas Barnes Primary School do you need to live?
Staffordshire publishes how far the last offered place was, in miles: 1.893 for 2025 entry, then 1.137 for 2026 entry. The cut-off has tightened over that period, which usually means demand is growing faster than places. These are the authority's own figures, not a fixed boundary - the cut-off moves with the number of applications each year.
Is it hard to get a place at Thomas Barnes Primary School?
Thomas Barnes Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Thomas Barnes Primary School?
Classes at Thomas Barnes Primary School average 25.7 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 Thomas Barnes Primary School?
Thomas Barnes Primary School has around 106 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Thomas Barnes Primary School?
4.8% of sessions were missed at Thomas Barnes Primary School in 2024/25. 9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Thomas Barnes Primary School?
Apply through Staffordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Thomas Barnes 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 Thomas Barnes Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Thomas Barnes Primary School?
Thomas Barnes Primary School is at School Lane, Hopwas, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B78 3AD.
Sources: Staffordshire admissions booklets; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)