School Chooser

St George's CofE School

Primary · ages 2-11MixedChurch of England226 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubBarrow-in-FurnessWestmorland and Furness
School Chooser Score
44
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 21 to 71
Out of 100. Better than 67% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, December 2024
Reached the expected level at 1150%England 63%
Attendance93.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families46%Far more than most schools
Places34 spare226 pupils, 260 places
Pupils per teacher21.5School workforce census

St George's CofE School is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled) in Barrow-in-Furness for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 226 pupils and room for 260. About 46 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 44 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 67% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2024, no overall grade.

School Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 2JN01229 841240stgeorges.cumbria.sch.ukMr Steven Herbert headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 3 December 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
11 December 2019UngradedSchool remains Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

28 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1150%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score108.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 52%52%20172018: 55%55%20182019: 45%45%20192023: 50%50%20232024: 48%48%20242025: 50%50%2025
Since 2017: -2%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017Westmorland and FurnessEngland
Pupils tested282724292927
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths50%48%50%45%55%52%58%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%7%0%10%3%4%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0106.0103.0100.0101.0103.0105.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score108.0108.0104.0103.0102.0101.0104.1104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score108.0107.0103.0105.0105.099.0104.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard79%78%67%52%59%78%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard89%85%75%72%76%63%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)50%56%58%69%76%74%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.7+0.2+1.0+3.5
Maths progressMaths progress score+1.2+2.5+2.1+2.4
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged39%44%59%44%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged70%56%29%45%

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.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 3 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
39%70%
Gap 31 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
42%56%
Gap 14 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

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.

A few spare places189 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
90% full

About 21 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 6% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

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 who applied got a place.

EntryApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary3922all offeredLA

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.

Pupils on roll226Census January 2026
Places26087% full
Pupils from low-income families46%46% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English8%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support54%121 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan12%26 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.19 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)53%£156,550 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls124 / 102
White British pupils87%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 24.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (73), language and communications needs (39), Specific learning difficulty (22), Autistic spectrum disorder (4), Moderate learning difficulty (3), Physical disability (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll226242251253261235
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals46%41%41%41%37%38%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language8%6%4%3%3%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support42%49%19%27%36%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans6%6%6%6%5%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school21.5%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.42024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.2%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.5%6.9%7.3%7.5%4.1%4.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.3%4.2%5.1%5.3%2.8%3.0%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.2%2.7%2.2%2.2%1.3%1.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence21.5%24.9%29.1%23.0%9.2%9.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.40.80.40.40.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers10.5full-time equivalent, 12 people
Pupils per teacher21.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants19.9full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£52,635
Teachers who left in the year10%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher13.02024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£9,552England £7,738. Total £2.1m
Income per pupil£8,880England £7,697. Total £1.9m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,480England £3,480
Money in reserve-10%In the red: -£190k, -£878 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£145kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£9,552spent per pupil

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

Crimes within 500 m61012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate303 per 1,000 people233% higher than the England average

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.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, BarrowAcademy370 m202Good 202418Compare
Greengate Junior SchoolCouncil410 m161Report card 202637Compare
Ramsden Infant SchoolCouncil780 m80Good 202258Compare
Parkside AcademyAcademy820 m272Report card 202656Compare
Barrow Island Community Primary SchoolCouncil850 m162Good 202415Compare
Cambridge Primary SchoolAcademy0.6 miles230Report card 20269Compare
Brisbane Park Infant SchoolCouncil0.9 miles95Good 202421Compare
St James' CofE Junior SchoolChurch of England0.9 miles115Good 20229Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St George's CofE School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats67%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 44 is 12 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 32 · highest 97100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 44 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 44% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 21 to 71. 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 atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.10
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 28 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%above
+0.09
Ofsted grade, 1.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.04
DfE progress measure; 28 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.04
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.10
2024/25; 163 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.04
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 28 pupils
What parents say0%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 St George's CofE School a good school?

It is about average. St George's CofE School scores 44 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 67% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 21 to 71, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St George's CofE School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St George's CofE School not judged at its last full inspection on 3 December 2024.

How good are St George's CofE School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 50% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St George's CofE School have?

226 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 260 places, so it is 87% full.

Is St George's CofE School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 21 places were empty in 2024/25 (10% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St George's CofE School?

Pupils were in school 93.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 21% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St George's CofE School?

The average class had 25.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does St George's CofE School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
School Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 2JN
Telephone
01229 841240
Website
www.stgeorges.cumbria.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr Steven Herbert
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary controlled) (Voluntary controlled school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Carlisle
Local authority
Westmorland and Furness
Ward
Old Barrow and Hindpool
Constituency
Barrow and Furness
Setting
Urban: Further from a major town or city
URN
112289 · LAESTAB 9433150 · UKPRN 10075894

Where these figures come from