St Columba's School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 3 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Church Lane, Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 3ADOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

St Columba's School is a primary school in Barrow-in-Furness for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 160 schools in Westmorland and Furness. It ranks 18th of 20 primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in June 2012.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 14 June 2012, report published 5 July 2012

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 15 November 2022

Pupils arrive at school happy and eager to learn. Children in the early years settle quickly. They enjoy exploring and learning together with their friends. Pupils thrive in the calm and nurturing environment that leaders and staff have created. Parents speak highly of the school and its place at the heart of this island community. Pupils behave well and work hard in lessons. This helps them to achieve well in a range of subjects. Pupils feel safe in school. There is always someone to talk with if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils enjoy playtimes. Any falling out with their friends is resolved quickly by staff. Pupils are confident that should bullying occur, staff would act quickly to put a stop to it. Pupils try hard to live up to the high expectations that staff have of them. Pupils are proud of the work that they do to raise funds for local charities. Pupils appreciate the many opportunities that leaders provide, such as trips to the theatre and working with local artists. Pupils develop their confidence and resilience as they challenge themselves to try new activities on residential trips. Pupils also enjoy the many clubs that they can join, including sports clubs and the popular lunchtime club.

What the school should improve

  • In a small number of subjects, leaders do not have a comprehensive understanding of how well pupils achieve. This hinders teachers when they are designing what pupils need to learn in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that assessment systems check pupils' knowledge and understanding effectively in all subjects.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

30 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths30%

30%, 32 percentage points below the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths0%

0%, 8 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score103

103, 3 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score98

98, 7 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score101

101, 4 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

212 pupils on roll, with places for 240

Eligible for free school meals8.5%

8.5%, 18 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language0.5%

0.5%, 21.1 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support16.5%

16.5%, 1.7 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan8.5%

8.5%, 2.5 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near St Columba's School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
South Walney Infant and Nursery School0.2 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
South Walney Junior School0.3 milesReport card: Expected standard to strong standard66% met the expected standard
Vickerstown School0.5 milesReport card: Urgent improvement to expected standard15% met the expected standard
Barrow Island Community Primary School0.9 milesOfsted: Good54% met the expected standard
Brisbane Park Infant School1 mileOfsted: GoodNot published

School details

School type
Voluntary aided school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
3 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mrs Claire O'Donnell
Address
Church Lane, Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 3AD
URN
112364

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.