Cockermouth School
94%
Capacity
1,285
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About Cockermouth School
Cockermouth School’s headline Progress 8 score of 0.23 places it well above the Cumberland local authority average of -0.44 for secondary schools, a gap of nearly seven-tenths of a grade per subject. That puts the school second out of 20 schools in the area, behind only Keswick School. The positive score means pupils here typically achieve almost a quarter of a grade more per subject than pupils nationally with similar starting points, which is a strong indicator of academic value added. The school’s attainment 8 score of 51.4 and its EBacc average point score of 4.64 further underline solid performance. Over half of pupils (54.6%) achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths, and 76.4% managed grade 4 or above. The school is also above average for Progress 8 banding nationally, ranking in the top third of all schools in England.
Digging deeper into the Progress 8 breakdown, the school’s strongest subject area is open subjects (0.38), followed by maths (0.27) and EBacc subjects (0.21). English is the only area where progress dips slightly below the national average, at -0.09. At sixth form, the picture is similarly encouraging: the school’s value-added score of 0.08 is positive, and its average points per entry of 38.8 equates to a B grade. Over a third of A-level entries (34.3%) achieved AAB or higher. The most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in February 2024, confirmed the school remains Good, a rating it has held consistently. The previous graded inspection in 2012 also rated overall effectiveness as Good, with leadership and management and sixth form provision both judged Good at that time.
Cockermouth is a popular school: for 2025/26 entry, it received 362 applications for 188 places, with 195 first-preference applications and 186 offers made to first-preference candidates. That oversubscription ratio of 1.93 reflects its strong local reputation. The school has a sixth form centre and offers a wide range of clubs and sports, including rowing, martial arts, and cross country, plus academic and creative activities like Model UN, Young Enterprise, and orchestra. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, and physical disabilities, with a resourced provision on site. With 14.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a broadly representative intake. It will suit families who want a large, well-regarded comprehensive with strong academic outcomes and a busy extracurricular programme, particularly those looking for a sixth form that adds clear value.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Castlegate Drive, Cockermouth, Cumberland, CA13 9HF |
| Headteacher | Richard King |
| Local Authority | Cumberland |
| Number of Pupils | 1,285 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 14.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,285 / 1,363 (94% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Feb 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (8 Feb 2024): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 1 Jun 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.23)
996th of 3,141
Nationally
101st of 445
In North West
2nd of 17
In Cumberland
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
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
42.6
'22/23
36.9
'23/24
38.8
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
2022/2350%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 211 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)50%
- FE college30%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Employment5%
- Not sustained3%
96% 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
2022/2366%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 104 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
32%
Russell Group
43%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)66%
- Employment15%
- Apprenticeship12%
- Further education2%
- Not sustained2%
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- Mathematics41
- Psychology36
- Chemistry31
- Biology28
- Physics23
- Art and Design22
- Economics21
- English Language18
- History17
- Geography14
- Physical Education / Sports Studies12
- English Literature11
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.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed188
362
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
195 families put this school as their 1st choice (54% 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 half 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 British93.5%
- White (other)2.2%
- Asian1.6%
- Mixed1.5%
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cockermouth 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
Castlegate Drive, Cockermouth
Cumberland, CA13 9HF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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