St Thomas's CofE Primary School

About St Thomas's CofE Primary School

St Thomas's CofE Primary School in Westmorland and Furness holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, though the overall effectiveness was not judged on that occasion. The inspection did, however, award Outstanding grades for both early years provision and personal development, while quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management were all rated Good. The most telling academic metric is the Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard: 74% of pupils achieved this, placing the school 18th out of 99 primary schools in the local authority and in the top 25% nationally. That figure sits well above the local authority average of 58%, and the school's reading results are particularly strong, with 91% of pupils reaching the expected standard and 48% hitting the higher standard. Maths also performed solidly, with 83% at expected and an average scaled score of 103.

The school's progress scores are not available, but the raw outcomes paint a clear picture of a school that consistently delivers above-average results. In reading, the average scaled score of 109 is notably high, and 35% of pupils achieved the higher standard in writing. The school ranks in the top 20% nationally for its combined expected standard, and within the North West region it sits at the 20th percentile among over 2,000 primary schools. The previous Ofsted inspection in 2019 also rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management and early years provision both Good at that time. The 2024 inspection saw early years provision improve from Good to Outstanding, and personal development was also judged Outstanding, suggesting the school has strengthened its focus on the broader development of children from the earliest stages.

With 242 pupils on roll against a capacity of 218, the school is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 47 applications for 30 places, with 32 first-preference applications and all 30 offers going to first-preference families. The school has a Church of England religious character and offers nursery provision. Facilities include a forest school, music rooms, a chapel and an ICT suite, and the extracurricular programme covers choir, science club, chess and eco club alongside sports such as football, cricket, tennis and gymnastics. SEND support is provided for a range of needs including dyslexia, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Parent views are overwhelmingly positive: 94% would recommend the school, and 100% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy and feels safe. This is a school that suits families who value strong academic foundations, a clear moral framework and a wide range of enrichment opportunities.

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