Dent CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School

About Dent CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School

Dent CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School, a tiny Church of England primary in Westmorland and Furness, sits well below the local authority average for its key stage 2 headline measure. With just 43% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, the school falls 15 percentage points short of the LA average of 58%. That places it 81st out of 121 primary schools in the authority, firmly in the bottom half of the local table. Nationally, it ranks in the 88th percentile among all primary schools, which means most schools across England outperform it on this metric. The school is very small — just 27 pupils against a capacity of 56 — and 16% of children qualify for free school meals, slightly above the national average for primaries. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2024, rated the school Good overall and Good across every category, including early years provision, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership.

A closer look at the 2023/24 key stage 2 results reveals a mixed picture. While only 43% of pupils hit the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, the school performs notably better in maths: 86% reached the expected level, and 29% achieved the higher standard. Reading tells a different story, with just 43% at the expected level and 29% at the higher standard. Writing is the weakest area — 57% met the expected standard and only 14% reached the higher mark. The average scaled scores are 105 in maths and 104 in reading, both a touch above the national average of 100. Progress scores are not available for this school, so it is difficult to say how much value the school adds from pupils' starting points. The previous Ofsted inspection in 2014 also rated the school Good, so the rating has been consistent over the past decade. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary, and offers nursery provision for younger children.

Dent CofE Primary is clearly a community-focused village school, and its size means children get plenty of individual attention. The school has a sensory room, a chapel, an ICT suite, art studios and a sports hall — a decent range for such a small setting. Sports include netball, gymnastics, football, athletics, dance, rounders and cross country, and clubs cover drama, science, book club, film club, choir and coding. The school identifies specific support for pupils with dyslexia under its SEND provisions. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed: it offered 3 places from 6 total applications, with 3 first-preference applications for those 3 places, giving a ratio of 2 applications per place. This suggests strong local demand despite the modest academic results. This school would suit families who value a small, rural Church of England setting with a strong pastoral focus and who are comfortable with results that sit below the local average.

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