Waberthwaite CofE School

About Waberthwaite CofE School

Waberthwaite CofE School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent inspections, including an ungraded visit in November 2024 where inspectors confirmed standards were being maintained. The most telling academic metric for this small primary is its Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard score: 50% of pupils reached that benchmark in the 2023/24 academic year. That figure sits just below the Cumberland local authority average of 54%, placing the school 66th out of 144 primary schools in the area. In the North West region it ranks in the 76th percentile, and nationally in the 78th percentile, putting it broadly in the middle of the pack. The school's reading results are notably stronger than its maths ones: 83% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, compared with 50% in maths, and 17% achieved the higher standard in reading. Maths pupils averaged a score of 99, just below the national benchmark of 100.

The Ofsted breakdown from the most recent graded inspection in July 2019 rated leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness all as Good. The school's Progress 8 scores for reading, writing and maths are not available, so it is difficult to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points. Parent feedback from the Ofsted Parent View survey, covering September 2024 to September 2025, is mixed. While 86% of the 29 respondents would recommend the school, and 86% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, there are clear areas of concern. Only 45% agreed or strongly agreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and 34% disagreed that the school lets them know how their child is doing. On behaviour, 76% felt pupils are well-behaved, though 17% disagreed. The school has a small roll of 56 pupils against a capacity of 70, and just 7.1% qualify for free school meals, well below the national average.

Waberthwaite is a Church of England primary for children aged 3 to 11, with nursery provision on site. It offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, library, forest school, music rooms, art studios and a chapel. Clubs include Eco Club, Gardening, Book Club and Science Club, and sports on offer are rounders, swimming, netball and dance. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, and hearing impairment. Admissions for the 2025/26 year show the school is oversubscribed: 6 applications for 2 places, with a ratio of 3 applicants per place, and both first-preference applicants were offered a spot. This is a school that suits families who value a small, rural Church of England setting with a strong reading focus and a wide range of facilities, but where parents may need to be proactive in raising concerns and staying informed about their child's progress.

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