The Lakes School

About The Lakes School

The Lakes School sits within the Westmorland and Furness local authority, one of 22 state secondary schools in the area. It is a mixed, non-denominational secondary with a sixth form, led by headteacher Sharon Rainey. In the local landscape, its closest ranked peers include John Ruskin School, Settlebeck School, and Queen Elizabeth School, though the school itself is not among the top three in the authority’s ranking. With 439 pupils on roll, it is a relatively small secondary, and its most recent Ofsted inspection rated it Good overall. That rating places it in the majority of schools locally, given that no secondary in the authority currently holds an Outstanding grade. The school’s facilities are notably broad for its size, including a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, music rooms, and extensive sports provision, which suggests a focus on enrichment alongside academic study.

Academic outcomes at The Lakes School are not detailed in the available data, so it is not possible to report specific Progress 8 scores, Attainment 8 figures, or GCSE and A-Level results. The local authority average Progress 8 score stands at -0.12, which provides a benchmark for how schools in Westmorland and Furness typically perform relative to the national average. Without the school’s own data, parents should consult the most recent published performance tables or the school directly for its latest exam results. The Ofsted inspection, however, will have considered academic achievement as part of its Good judgement, so the school is likely meeting expected standards. The absence of a sixth-form-specific rating or outcome data means families considering post-16 options should seek further information on A-Level or vocational course results and progression rates.

For families, The Lakes School offers a practical, well-equipped environment with a strong emphasis on extracurricular breadth. Facilities such as a gymnasium, tennis courts, swimming pool, and playing fields support a wide range of sports including hockey, rugby, cricket, and martial arts. The clubs programme is similarly varied, with options like Young Enterprise, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, drama, choir, orchestra, gardening, debate, chess, and coding. The school’s chapel and theatre add character to its provision, and the ICT suite and science labs cover core academic needs. As a state school with a Good rating and no religious character, it will suit families seeking a non-faith, mixed secondary in a rural or semi-rural part of Cumbria. Oversubscription data is not provided, so it is unclear how competitive admissions are, but the relatively small pupil number suggests an intimate setting.

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