Walney School
58%
Capacity
518
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About Walney School
Walney School’s headline Progress 8 score of -1.2 places it well below the Westmorland and Furness local authority average of -0.12, making it the lowest-ranked secondary in the area out of 22 schools. This is a significant gap that parents will want to understand. The school’s Attainment 8 score sits at 34.4, and just 24.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 5 measure), compared with 41% achieving a grade 4 or above. The EBacc average point score is 2.99, with only 1.6% of pupils entering the full EBacc combination. These figures place Walsey in the bottom 50 nationally by Progress 8, and in the 98th percentile nationally for low performance. The school’s capacity is 900 but it currently has just 518 pupils on roll, which may reflect local families choosing alternatives.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2025, Walney School was judged as Requires Improvement across every category assessed: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. The previous inspection in February 2022 had also rated the school as Requires Improvement overall, with personal development the only area rated Good. The parent view survey, conducted between September 2024 and September 2025, shows that only 34% of respondents would recommend the school. On key questions, 43% agreed their child is happy, 54% agreed their child feels safe, but just 33% agreed the school ensures pupils are well behaved. Only 17% of parents agreed that SEND children receive the support they need, and 44% strongly disagreed. Concerns about how the school communicates learning and handles issues were also prominent, with 49% disagreeing that the school makes them aware of what their child will learn.
Walney School is a mixed, non-denominational secondary for ages 11 to 16 with no sixth form. It offers a range of facilities including a theatre, astro turf, science labs, and music rooms, and runs clubs such as DofE, Model UN, and Eco Club. Sports include rowing, martial arts, and gymnastics. The school has a broad SEND register covering autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed with 100 applications for 68 places, and 65 first-preference offers were made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 25.7%, above the national average. This school may suit families who live very locally and value the range of extracurricular activities, but the academic and behavioural concerns flagged by both Ofsted and parents are significant and should be weighed carefully.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Sandy Gap Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, Westmorland and Furness, LA14 3JT |
| Headteacher | Allison Redshaw |
| Local Authority | Westmorland and Furness |
| Number of Pupils | 518 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 25.7% |
| School Capacity | 518 / 900 (58% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 May 2025Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 14 Jul 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-1.20)
3069th of 3,141
Nationally
428th of 445
In North West
19th of 19
In Westmorland and Furness
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/233%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 118 pupils).
- FE college71%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Not sustained8%
- Employment6%
- School sixth form (stay)3%
91% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Ofsted Parent View
79 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
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed68
100
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
65 families put this school as their 1st choice (65% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:10
Breakfast club
08:00-08:30
Source: walney-school.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British95.6%
- Mixed1.0%
- Asian1.0%
- White (other)0.6%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
5
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
4
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 Walney School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Sandy Gap Lane, Barrow-in-Furness
Westmorland and Furness, LA14 3JT
Sandy Gap Lane, Barrow-in-Furness
Westmorland and Furness, LA14 3JT
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Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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