Barleyhurst Park Primary

About Barleyhurst Park Primary

Barleyhurst Park Primary has been rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection in 2015, and an ungraded visit in May 2024 confirmed the school remains Good. The headline academic metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which sits at 50%. That is below the Milton Keynes local authority average of 62%, and places the school 46th out of 54 primary schools in the borough. In the wider South East region, it ranks in the bottom 80% of schools nationally. The school’s ranking score of 50 puts it in the bottom 50 tier of schools on this measure. The data suggests that while the school is providing a satisfactory standard of education, there is clear room for improvement in core academic outcomes compared with local peers.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, the picture is mixed. In reading, 67% of pupils met the expected standard, with an average scaled score of 103, and 17% reached the higher standard. Maths tells a similar story: 67% achieved the expected standard, also with an average score of 103, but only 10% hit the higher threshold. Writing is a weaker spot, with 57% meeting the expected standard and no pupils reaching the higher standard. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. The early years provision was also judged Good in the 2015 inspection, and leadership and management are rated Good. The school has clearly improved since its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2013, but it remains some way off the strongest performers in Milton Keynes.

Barleyhurst Park is a mixed, state primary for ages 4 to 11, with a nursery on site. It has capacity for 210 pupils and currently has 198 on roll, with 33.8% eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 73 applications for 24 places, with 22 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.04. Facilities include a library, ICT suite, gymnasium, forest school and a chapel. Sports on offer are tennis, athletics, gymnastics and cricket, and clubs include chess, drama, science club, film club and gardening. The school supports a wide range of special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health needs. This is a school that suits families who value a broad range of activities and strong SEND support, but who may want to keep a close eye on academic progress compared with the local average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Barleyhurst Park Primary

Helpful Guides for Parents