Kirkby Stephen Grammar School

About Kirkby Stephen Grammar School

Kirkby Stephen Grammar School was rated Good overall by Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection in January 2024, a significant improvement from its previous overall rating of Inadequate in October 2022. The school received Good across all five inspected categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. On the most informative exam metric available, the school’s Progress 8 score sits at -0.02, which is broadly in line with the national average. That places it 9th out of 19 secondary schools in the Westmorland and Furness local authority, and 163rd out of 445 schools in the North West region. Nationally, it ranks 1,557th out of 3,141 schools, putting it almost exactly at the midpoint. This is a solid, middle-of-the-road performance that reflects consistent teaching and a stable curriculum, especially given the school’s recent turnaround from an Inadequate rating.

Academically, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 48.6, and 63.3% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though the figure drops to 46.9% for grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.06, with only 14.3% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. For context, the local authority’s average Progress 8 score is -0.12, so Kirkby Stephen’s -0.02 is slightly above the LA norm. In the sixth form, 23 students took A-levels, achieving an average grade of C+ per entry and a B- across their best three A-levels. The value-added score is -0.06, which is banded as Average, and 25% of entries were graded AAB or higher. These outcomes suggest a school where most pupils achieve broadly expected progress, with a small but capable sixth-form cohort performing solidly.

The school is a mixed 11-18 state secondary with 388 pupils against a capacity of 545, so there is room for growth. It is oversubscribed for 2025/26: 44 first-preference applications were made for 44 places, with 56 total applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.27. Facilities are strong for a school of this size, including a theatre, swimming pool, sports hall, science labs, art studios, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sports on offer include basketball, football, rugby, swimming, and gymnastics, while clubs range from Eco Club and Model UN to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Debate. The school lists SEND provisions covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, visual impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families looking for a well-resourced, improving secondary with a broad extracurricular offer and a sixth form, set in a rural market town.

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