Appleby Grammar School
48%
Capacity
360
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About Appleby Grammar School
Appleby Grammar School’s headline academic metrics stand out as notably stronger than the Westmorland and Furness local authority average for secondary schools. With a Progress 8 score of 0.01, the school sits comfortably above the LA average of -0.12, meaning pupils here make slightly more progress than the national average, while the typical school in the area falls behind. This places Appleby Grammar 7th out of 22 similar schools in the authority, and 8th out of 19 when ranked specifically within Westmorland and Furness. The Attainment 8 score of 45.5 further reinforces this picture of solid academic performance. It’s worth noting that the school’s EBacc entry percentage sits at 20.3, which is relatively modest, but the EBacc average point score of 3.96 suggests that those who do take the qualification perform well. For parents comparing options, Appleby Grammar offers a clear academic edge over the typical local school, without being among the very highest performers in the area.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, Appleby Grammar received a Good rating across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This represents a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2018, when the school was rated Requires Improvement overall. At Key Stage 4, 69.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 49.2% achieved a grade 5 or above. The school’s Progress 8 banding is rated as Average, with a confidence interval ranging from -0.37 to 0.38, indicating that performance is broadly in line with expectations. At Key Stage 5, the value-added score is -0.21, with a progress banding of Average, and the average points per entry is 25.17, equivalent to a C- grade. The best three A-levels average out at a D+ grade, based on 25 pupils in the cohort. These results suggest a school that delivers consistent, solid outcomes without exceptional peaks.
Appleby Grammar is a relatively small secondary school with 360 pupils against a capacity of 750, and it is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, there were 96 applications for 60 places, with 60 first-preference offers made. The school has a 20.3% rate of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average, and it offers a wide range of SEND provisions, including support for dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. Facilities are extensive for a school of this size, including a swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, gymnasium, sixth-form centre, art studios, music rooms, and science labs. Parents who responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey were overwhelmingly positive: 100% would recommend the school, and 65% strongly agreed that their child is happy. This is a school that suits families looking for a well-equipped, community-focused secondary with a strong sixth form and a clear upward trajectory in its Ofsted ratings.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Battlebarrow, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Westmorland and Furness, CA16 6XU |
| Headteacher | Philip Nicholson |
| Local Authority | Westmorland and Furness |
| Number of Pupils | 360 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 20.3% |
| School Capacity | 360 / 750 (48% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Apr 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 26 Jun 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.01)
1487th of 3,141
Nationally
156th of 445
In North West
8th of 19
In Westmorland and Furness
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
34.2
'22/23
21.1
'23/24
25.2
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2344%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 63 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)44%
- FE college30%
- Apprenticeship11%
- Not sustained10%
- Employment5%
90% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2343%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 23 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
24%
Russell Group
24%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)43%
- Employment35%
- Further education9%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship4%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Business Studies:Single12
- Mathematics11
- Psychology11
- Geography7
- Biology6
- English Literature6
- History5
- Chemistry4
- Physical Education / Sports Studies4
- Physics4
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
17 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed60
96
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
60 families put this school as their 1st choice (63% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British94.4%
- Asian1.1%
- White (other)0.8%
- Mixed0.6%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Appleby Grammar School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Battlebarrow, Appleby-in-Westmorland
Westmorland and Furness, CA16 6XU
Battlebarrow, Appleby-in-Westmorland
Westmorland and Furness, CA16 6XU
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