Dean Barwick Primary School

About Dean Barwick Primary School

Dean Barwick Primary School is a small state primary in Westmorland and Furness, currently teaching 55 pupils against a capacity of 65, so there is some spare room. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 15.4%, which is slightly above the national average for primary schools and suggests a modestly above-average level of disadvantage in the intake. Despite the available capacity, the school was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 7 applications for just 2 places, with an oversubscription ratio of 3.5. All 2 first-preference applicants were offered a place, indicating that while demand is strong, it is concentrated among local families who rank the school first. The school has a nursery provision, taking children from age 3, and is non-denominational with no religious character. It is led by headteacher Natalie Mellard.

Academically, the school’s most recent Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 show a mixed picture. Just 9% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is well below the local authority average of 58%. The school ranks 99th out of 99 primary schools in Westmorland and Furness on this measure, placing it in the bottom 50 nationally. Looking at individual subjects, 55% met the expected standard in reading, 27% in writing, and only 18% in maths. Average scaled scores were 100 in reading and 94 in maths. No pupils achieved the higher standard in any subject except reading, where 9% did. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in March 2023, confirmed it remains Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. The previous graded inspection in 2013 gave the same overall rating.

The school offers a decent range of facilities for its size, including a sports hall, outdoor playground, playing fields and art studios. Sports provision covers netball, swimming, football, rounders, tennis and cross country, while extracurricular clubs include book club, chess, art club, choir and coding. SEND support is available for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, and visual impairment. Given its small roll and rural location in Westmorland and Furness, Dean Barwick is likely to suit families who value a close-knit, community-focused primary with strong local demand but who are also comfortable with academic outcomes that are significantly below the LA average. The nursery provision is a practical bonus for families with younger children.

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