Barrow 1618 CofE Free School
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Barrow 1618 CofE Free School is a free school in Broseley for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 93 pupils, 9 more than it has places for. About 10 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 77 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 72% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.
Barrow, Broseley, TF12 5BW01952 388640barrow1618school.co.ukMrs Anita Ward headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 8 November 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 14 June 2022 | Ungraded | School remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
13 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Shropshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 13 | 16 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 10 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 77% | 75% | 27% | 85% | 82% | 70% | 59% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 8% | 6% | 0% | 23% | 18% | 20% | 6% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 110.0 | 107.0 | 104.0 | 110.0 | 114.0 | 110.0 | 105.0 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 108.0 | 105.0 | 101.0 | 106.0 | 110.0 | 106.0 | 103.5 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 110.0 | 109.0 | 103.0 | 111.0 | 110.0 | 111.0 | 104.2 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 92% | 94% | 82% | 92% | 82% | 100% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 92% | 81% | 45% | 92% | 82% | 90% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 77% | 88% | 55% | 85% | 82% | 70% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -3.6 | +2.7 | +2.7 | +8.0 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -4.2 | -0.9 | -0.4 | +3.3 | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
The school is full, with 13 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.
The last child to get a place lived 2.7 miles away in 2026. Those cut-offs are for children living outside the catchment area; every child inside it got a place. Brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups are placed first. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.
We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.
How places were given out for September 2026. Every child in the catchment area who applied got a place. Outside the catchment, the last place went to a child living 2.7 miles away.
| Entry | Places | Put it first | Applied at all | Got a place | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Primary | 12 | 16 | 42 | 14 | 2.7 miles (distance, outside the catchment area) | LA |
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 19.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 27.5 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (4), Specific learning difficulty (4), emotional and mental health (2), language and communications needs (2), Moderate learning difficulty (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 93 | 97 | 97 | 97 | 98 | 94 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 10% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 7% | 5% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 0% | 0% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 7% | 9% | 9% | 10% | 14% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 2% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 1% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 4.3% | 4.6% | 4.8% | 6.1% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.3% | 3.8% | 3.9% | 5.7% | 2.2% | 2.2% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.0% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.3% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 9.6% | 12.9% | 13.1% | 16.5% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Wilkinson Primary School and Nursery | Academy | 1.6 miles | 162 | Requires improvement 2024 | – | Compare |
| Broseley CofE Primary School | Church of England | 1.6 miles | 199 | Good 2023 | 14 | Compare |
| Much Wenlock Primary School | Academy | 2.2 miles | 171 | Report card 2026 | 45 | Compare |
| Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge CofE Primary Academy | Academy | 2.4 miles | – | Report card 2026 | – | Compare |
| Woodlands Primary School and Nursery | Academy | 2.9 miles | – | Good 2023 | – | Compare |
| William Reynolds Primary School and Nursery | Academy | 3.0 miles | 449 | Outstanding 2023 | – | Compare |
| Buildwas Academy | Academy | 3.1 miles | 54 | Requires improvement 2024 | 4 | Compare |
| John Fletcher of Madeley Primary School | Church of England/Methodist | 3.2 miles | 213 | Good 2022 | 24 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Barrow 1618 CofE Free School with the 46 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 46 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Barrow 1618 CofE Free School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheriffhales Primary School and Preschool | Council | 9.5 miles | 100 | No overall grade 2025 | 82 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 77 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 77% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 42 to 93. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | in line | +0.06 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 13 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 2.8 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | below | -0.13 | DfE progress measure; 13 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well above | +0.32 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.06 | 2024/25; 83 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | above | +0.05 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 13 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Barrow 1618 CofE Free School a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. Barrow 1618 CofE Free School scores 77 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 72% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 42 to 93, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.
What is Barrow 1618 CofE Free School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Barrow 1618 CofE Free School good at its last full inspection on 8 November 2023.
How good are Barrow 1618 CofE Free School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 77% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 8% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.
How many pupils does Barrow 1618 CofE Free School have?
93 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 84 places, so it is 111% full.
Is Barrow 1618 CofE Free School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?
Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 2.7 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.
What is attendance like at Barrow 1618 CofE Free School?
Pupils were in school 95.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 10% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Barrow 1618 CofE Free School?
The average class had 23.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Barrow, Broseley, TF12 5BW
- Telephone
- 01952 388640
- Website
- barrow1618school.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Anita Ward
- Type of school
- Free school (Free schools, free schools)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 4-11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of Hereford
- Single-academy trust
- Barrow 1618 the School Co (1 schools)
- Local authority
- Shropshire
- Ward
- Much Wenlock
- Constituency
- South Shropshire
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 3 September 2012 (new provision)
- URN
- 138268 · LAESTAB 8932000 · UKPRN 10038151
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Shropshire council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2026.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.