Kendal College

About Kendal College

Kendal College’s headline Progress 8 score of 0.12 sits well above the Westmorland and Furness local authority average of -0.12, placing it firmly in positive territory while the LA as a whole trends below zero. That gap of nearly a quarter of a grade per subject is a meaningful one, and it helps explain why the school ranks 5th out of 19 secondary schools in the area — comfortably in the top third locally. Digging into the subject-level breakdown, the strongest contribution comes from maths, where Progress 8 hits 0.29, meaning students here make nearly a third of a grade more progress in maths than similar pupils nationally. English, by contrast, is slightly negative at -0.05, so the overall positive score is being carried by maths and the EBacc subjects. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 49.3 translates to roughly a grade 5 average across eight subjects, and 74.4 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths — a solid benchmark for a 16-99 state college.

At sixth form, the picture is similarly encouraging. The school’s value-added score of 0.07 is positive, and the progress banding is rated as Average, which is a respectable outcome for a college that takes students from age 16 upwards. A-level students average 34.47 points per entry, equivalent to a C+ grade, and the best three A-levels come out at a C+ average too. Just under a fifth of entries (18.8 per cent) achieved AAB or higher, which is a decent showing for a non-selective state provider. The most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 judged the school to remain Good, with an ungraded outcome that flagged some concerns but kept the overall rating intact. Notably, the sixth-form provision was rated Outstanding — a standout detail that suggests post-16 teaching and support are a real strength. The previous graded inspection in 2014 also rated overall effectiveness as Good, so the school has held that standard consistently.

Kendal College is a large institution with a capacity of 1,060 and a sixth-form centre, and it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, receiving 311 applications for 161 places — a ratio of nearly two applicants per place. First-preference offers went to 158 pupils, so most successful applicants got their top choice. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, autism, hearing and visual impairments, and social, emotional and mental health needs, which makes it a genuinely inclusive option. Facilities are extensive: a theatre, music rooms, art studios, science labs, a sports hall, tennis courts, playing fields, and even a chapel. Clubs range from coding and debate to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and gardening. For families in Westmorland and Furness looking for a state college that outperforms the local average academically, particularly in maths and at sixth form, and that offers strong pastoral and extracurricular breadth, Kendal College is a solid, well-subscribed choice.

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