Crosscrake CofE Primary School

About Crosscrake CofE Primary School

Crosscrake CofE Primary School’s Key Stage 2 results sit noticeably below the Westmorland and Furness local authority average for primary schools. While the LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 58 per cent, Crosscrake’s figure is 45 per cent — a gap of 13 percentage points. The school’s ranking within the authority reflects this: it places 75th out of 99 primary schools, putting it in the bottom half locally and the bottom 50 per cent nationally. That said, the picture is not uniformly weak. In reading, 64 per cent of pupils met the expected standard, and the average reading score of 104 is solid. Maths tells a similar story, with 55 per cent reaching the expected level and an average score of 103. The real drag comes from writing, where only 45 per cent hit the expected mark, and from the proportion reaching the higher standard across all three subjects — just 9 per cent. For parents weighing up options, these numbers suggest a school where core literacy and numeracy are broadly in line with national norms, but where combined attainment lags the local competition.

Crosscrake’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2012, rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. A subsequent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed that the school remains Good, meaning standards have been maintained over a decade. The previous inspection in 2010 had rated it Requires Improvement, so the trajectory is positive. The school is small — just 60 pupils against a capacity of 91 — and has a nursery provision for children from age two. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 7.4 per cent, below the national average, which may partly explain the modest academic profile. Exam results are from the 2023/24 academic year, and the school does not publish Progress 8 scores, so it is hard to say how much value it adds relative to starting points. The local authority has six primary schools rated Outstanding out of 121 total, so Crosscrake sits in the solid middle tier of provision in Westmorland and Furness.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 21 applications for just 7 places, a ratio of 3:1, and all 7 first-preference applicants were offered places. That level of demand suggests strong local reputation despite the middling exam results. Facilities are generous for a small primary, including a music room, library, ICT suite, forest school, sensory room, sports hall, gymnasium and a chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, football, dance, tennis, cricket, swimming and netball, and clubs include film, eco and gardening. The school’s SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. Crosscrake is a Church of England school, and its headteacher is Mandy Barnsley. For families who value a small, faith-based village school with strong community feel and good facilities, this could be a good fit — provided they are comfortable with academic outcomes that are below the local average.

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