St Mark's CofE Primary School

About St Mark's CofE Primary School

St Mark's CofE Primary School sits within the Westmorland and Furness local authority, a mixed state primary for children aged 4 to 11 with a Church of England character. In the local rankings based on Key Stage 2 outcomes, it places 66th out of 99 schools of the same type, putting it in the bottom half of the LA. Its top-performing peers in the area include Yarlside Academy, St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Ulverston, and Staveley CofE School, all of which score higher on the same metric. The school is relatively small, with 174 pupils against a capacity of 210, and it is noticeably oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 53 applications for 22 places, with all 22 first-preference applicants receiving an offer. That level of demand suggests a strong local reputation, even if the academic rankings don't place it among the LA's highest performers.

Academically, St Mark's produces mixed results at Key Stage 2. In the 2023/24 assessments, 50% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the LA average of 58%. However, individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story. In reading, 73% reached the expected level and 27% achieved a higher standard, with an average scaled score of 105. Maths saw 83% at the expected level and 17% at the higher standard, also averaging 105. Writing was the weakest area, with 57% at the expected level and none reaching the higher standard. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in February 2023, confirmed that it remains Good, a rating it has held consistently across inspections dating back to 2009. Leadership and management, early years provision, and the quality of education were all judged Good.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including a music room, library, sports hall, sensory room, and chapel, plus an outdoor playground. Sports provision covers cricket, gymnastics, rounders, football, netball, and athletics, while clubs include choir, book club, science club, and coding. SEND support is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, visual impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. There is nursery provision on site, but no sixth form. St Mark's is a good fit for families in the Westmorland and Furness area who value a Church of England primary with a strong community feel and a clear record of consistent Good practice, particularly those who can secure a place given the oversubscription. It suits parents who want a school with solid pastoral and SEND support, a range of clubs, and a manageable size, rather than one chasing top-tier academic rankings.

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