Dallam School
76%
Capacity
878
Pupils
3.6x
Demand
About Dallam School
Dallam School is a mixed, non-denominational state secondary with a sixth form and boarding provision, located in the Westmorland and Furness local authority. Among the 22 state secondaries in this area, it ranks 16th by Progress 8 score, placing it in the bottom half locally and in the bottom 50% nationally. Its closest higher-performing peers in the LA are John Ruskin School, Settlebeck School, and Queen Elizabeth School. The school is led by headteacher Steven Henneberry and has 878 pupils on roll, well below its capacity of 1150. It is significantly oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 363 applications for 101 places, with 86 first-preference offers made from 87 first-preference applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.59.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection, Dallam was rated Requires Improvement across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This was a downgrade from its previous Good rating. At KS4, the school’s Progress 8 score of -0.43 is below the Westmorland and Furness average of -0.12, and its Attainment 8 score is 43.7. The proportion of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths is 38.3%, while 62.8% achieved a grade 4 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 24.6%, with 9.8% achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. At KS5, the school’s value-added score is -0.31, classed as below average, with an average points per entry of 25.81, equivalent to a C- grade. The best three A-levels average grade is also C-, and 5.9% of entries achieved grades AAB or higher.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including science labs, a sports hall, music rooms, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a sixth-form centre. Sports on offer include netball, football, swimming, hockey, rugby, and martial arts, while clubs range from debate and Model UN to coding, gardening, and orchestra. SEND provisions cover seven areas, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. In the most recent Parent View survey, 80% of respondents said their child is happy at the school, and 84% said their child feels safe. However, only 54% agreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and 56% felt SEND children receive the support they need. With 70% of parents recommending the school, Dallam may suit families who value its boarding option, wide extracurricular offer, and strong community feel, but who are comfortable with a school that is still working through an improvement journey.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Haverflatts Lane, Cumbria, Westmorland and Furness, LA7 7DD |
| Headteacher | Steven Henneberry |
| Local Authority | Westmorland and Furness |
| Number of Pupils | 878 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 14.1% |
| School Capacity | 878 / 1,150 (76% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
| Boarding | Yes — Boarding school |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 May 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 13 Jul 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.43)
2507th of 3,141
Nationally
315th of 445
In North West
16th of 19
In Westmorland and Furness
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
31.4
'22/23
29.1
'23/24
25.8
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
2022/2345%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 168 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)45%
- FE college40%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained5%
- Employment4%
93% 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
2022/2345%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 89 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
18%
Russell Group
27%
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)45%
- Employment37%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Further education1%
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- Psychology30
- Biology25
- Geography17
- Chemistry15
- Business Studies:Single13
- History12
- Art and Design8
- English Language8
- Mathematics8
- Spanish7
- English Literature6
- Physical Education / Sports Studies6
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
111 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
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed101
363
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
87 families put this school as their 1st choice (24% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:15
Source: dallamschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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 British87.7%
- White (other)3.4%
- Mixed3.2%
- Asian1.3%
- Black0.6%
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.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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 Dallam 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
Haverflatts Lane, Cumbria
Westmorland and Furness, LA7 7DD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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