Caldew School

About Caldew School

If you're a parent weighing up Caldew School, the first thing you'll notice is that it's a popular choice locally. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 467 applications for 165 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.83, meaning nearly three families applied for every spot. Of those, 183 put it as their first preference, and 163 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand suggests a solid reputation among families in Cumberland. While the school doesn't publish a parent-view survey score, the sheer number of applications — more than double the places available — is a strong signal that many local parents see it as a good fit for their children. The school is a mixed, non-religious secondary with a sixth form, led by headteacher Victoria Jackson, and it currently has capacity for 1,050 pupils, with 989 on roll.

Academically, Caldew sits in a middling position nationally but performs above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of -0.19 is classed as 'Average' by the Department for Education, and it ranks 6th out of 17 schools in Cumberland on that measure. That's notably better than the local authority average Progress 8 score of -0.44, so pupils here typically make more progress than their peers at other schools in the area. At GCSE, 50.3% of students achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, and the average Attainment 8 score was 42.4. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2022, rated it Good overall, with Good marks for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership, and sixth-form provision. That's a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018.

Caldew offers a decent range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, science labs, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include tennis, badminton, swimming, martial arts, rowing, and cross country, while clubs range from film club and orchestra to Model UN and coding. For families with children who have additional needs, the school has a resourced provision and supports a range of needs including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 19.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a broadly typical state-school demographic. It's a solid, well-subscribed option for families in the Cumberland area who want a Good-rated secondary with a sixth form and a broad extracurricular offer, particularly if they value the swimming and sports facilities.

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