Coniston CofE Primary School

About Coniston CofE Primary School

Coniston CofE Primary School is a small Church of England primary in Westmorland and Furness, and the numbers suggest a school that local families are happy with. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received exactly nine first-preference applications for its nine places, meaning every family who put it first got a spot. That oversubscription ratio of 1.0 tells you it’s not a scramble to get in, but it’s also not undersubscribed — demand matches supply neatly. The school has nursery provision for three-year-olds, which can be a practical bonus for working parents. With just 71 pupils on roll against a capacity of 98, there’s still some breathing room, and 15.5% of children are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly below the national average for primary schools. The headteacher, Danielle Fitzsimons, leads a team that has held a Good Ofsted rating since its last graded inspection in 2013, and an ungraded visit in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good.

Academically, the picture is mixed and worth looking at closely. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 31% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — well below the Westmorland and Furness local authority average of 58%. That places Coniston 91st out of 121 primary schools in the LA, and in the bottom 50 nationally. The individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story: 69% hit the expected standard in reading, with 46% reaching the higher standard, which is strong. Maths was weaker, with 46% at expected and 15% at higher. Writing was the biggest challenge — just 38% at expected and none at the higher level. The average reading score was 105 and maths 101, both just above the national benchmark of 100. Progress scores aren’t available in the data, so it’s hard to say whether these results reflect the intake or the teaching, but the reading outcomes are clearly a strength.

The school offers a decent range of facilities for its size, including a sports hall, gymnasium, ICT suite, art studios, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, football, cross country, dance, gymnastics, swimming and tennis, and there are clubs like film, chess, coding, eco and gardening. For children with additional needs, the school lists provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and physical disability. This is a school that will suit families who value a small, Church of England setting with a strong reading focus and a calm, non-pressured admissions process. If your priority is high KS2 combined scores, you’d want to look at higher-ranked local primaries like Yarlside Academy or St Mary’s Catholic Primary in Ulverston, but for a close-knit village school with good facilities and a supportive SEND offer, Coniston is a solid, straightforward choice.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Coniston CofE Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents