Welcome to St Barnabas’ C of E Primary School

I am Beccy Harris and I am delighted to be the headteacher of St. Barnabas CE Primary School. We are a one-form entry school for children aged 3-11, set in the heart of the city of Oxford, and surrounded by its most famous landmarks and institutions.

We are a happy, inclusive school, rich in diversity and community spirit. Our pupils come from the local communities of Jericho and Summertown as well as from further across the city. We also welcome families from all over the world who are brought to Oxford to work and study. Our diverse international perspective gives the school the St. Barnabas vibrancy that we are so well known for.

Our school is a warm empathetic environment where children flourish in all aspects of their development. Children build good relationships, feel valued and are listened to. We cherish them as unique individuals with their own particular talents and enthusiasms. We strive to make school inspiring, enjoyable and a great place to create lifelong childhood memories.

We are a dynamic and newly formed staff team with a highly successful first year and a half under our belt. The local authority has commended us on our progress.

‘The newly formed leadership team has had a great impact on the education at St Barnabas that children receive. The leaders have continued to improve the school at pace’.

We have demonstrated our commitment to high academic outcomes. Statutory assessments for 2024 show significantly higher outcomes in all year groups. Our Year 6 SATs results are now well above national average with an impressive 90% achieving the standard in Maths and 42% achieving the higher standard in Reading and Maths. This has been achieved by focusing on a stimulating and engaging curriculum that is delivered through excellent teaching by inspiring teachers.

Please click here for more information about our Year 6 SATs results.

See local press coverage by clicking here.

In March 2025, we had our Ofsted Inspection and are delighted to announce that Ofsted has awarded us a ‘GOOD’ grading in all areas. Leadership is summarised as having ‘high ambitions and expectations’ that secure strong academic outcomes. The school is described as a ‘happy place to be’ with ‘warm relationships’, ‘kindness’ and ‘harmonious social times’. It is also noted that we offer ‘a range of opportunities to nurture talents and interests’ and have ‘a strong emphasis on pupil’s character, individuality and personal development’.

As we press on from ‘GOOD’ to great, we are developing creative strategies to challenge our learners further. We have enrolled in the Challenge Framework (NACE); and are working towards ‘The Challenge Award’ which recognises high quality provision for more able pupils. We are awaiting our assessment visit.

The school has undergone a makeover with a magnificent new community art piece completed by Lisa Made it. The grounds are being developed, and in the next two weeks we are installing a large sandpit, a mud kitchen, an outdoor workshop and a designated forest school shelter. A sports cage will be installed in 2025/26.  Watch this space!

We are a fully inclusive Church of England school welcoming children of all faiths and world views. Children are encouraged to explore moral and spiritual values through their own lens’ and are given the  space to consider the bigger questions in life. This helps them grow a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them giving them a strong sense of themselves, their purpose and future direction.  Our religious education and collective worship is respectful and fully inclusive with all children in mind.

After consulting with the school community we have a new school vision. The full version will be uploaded shortly but here is a summary.

‘They will soar on wings like eagles’’   (Isaiah 40:31)   

Through values that create AWE-some individuals, we will become A (Adventurous) W (Wise) and E (Encouraging).

Look out for our new school logo which is coming soon!

Please look at our school video (below) . In the meantime, take the time to explore the website for information about the school. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to find out more. We look forward to welcoming you to our school soon.

Best wishes

Beccy Harris