Kirkoswald CofE School
56%
Capacity
50
Pupils
2.8x
Demand
About Kirkoswald CofE School
Kirkoswald CofE School is a small Church of England primary in Westmorland and Furness, currently teaching just 50 pupils against a capacity of 90, which gives it a noticeably low occupancy rate. Only 8% of its children qualify for free school meals, well below the national average, suggesting a relatively affluent intake. Despite the spare capacity, the school is oversubscribed for Reception places in 2025/26: it received 14 applications for just 5 places, with all 5 first-preference families offered a spot, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.8. That demand is a strong signal from local parents, and it aligns with the school's strong reputation. The headteacher is Leigh Andrews, and the school offers nursery provision for children from age 3, feeding into the main primary phase up to Year 6.
Academically, Kirkoswald performs well above the local authority average. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Westmorland and Furness average of just 58%. Reading was a particular strength: every single pupil (100%) met the expected standard, and 58% achieved the higher standard. Maths was also strong, with 83% at expected and 33% at the higher level. Average scaled scores were 109 in reading and 106 in maths. The school ranks 16th out of 99 primary schools in the local authority, placing it in the top 25% nationally. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2025 rated it Good across all areas including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management, with early years provision also judged Good.
The school offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, library, dining hall, sensory room and chapel. Sports provision covers athletics, cross country, netball, tennis, dance, cricket and football, while clubs include book club, gardening, film club and eco club. For SEND, the school supports children with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, and speech, language and communication needs. Parent View responses from 47 families between September 2024 and September 2025 were overwhelmingly positive: 100% would recommend the school, and 89% strongly agreed their child is happy here. This is a school that suits families who value a strong community feel, high academic expectations, and a Church of England ethos, and who are prepared to compete for a Reception place in a popular rural primary.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Kirkoswald, Penrith, Westmorland and Furness, CA10 1EN |
| Headteacher | Leigh Andrews |
| Local Authority | Westmorland and Furness |
| Number of Pupils | 50 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 8.0% |
| School Capacity | 50 / 90 (56% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
1 Jul 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 18 Sept 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (75%)
2790th of 13,686
Nationally
389th of 2,065
In North West
16th of 99
In Westmorland and Furness
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
75%
Expected Standard
0%
Higher Standard
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
Ofsted Parent View
47 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
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed5
14
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
5 families put this school as their 1st choice (36% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
09:00 – 15:30
Source: kirkoswald.cumbria.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British90.0%
- White (other)2.0%
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
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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
2
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 Kirkoswald CofE School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Kirkoswald, Penrith
Westmorland and Furness, CA10 1EN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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