Classpot

Walney School

Westmorland and Furness, LA14 3JTSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
4 Requires improvement
May 2025
Progress 8
-1.20
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
65 1st-choice / 68 places
Ranking
#3,069
of 3,141 nationally

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.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressSandy Gap Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, Westmorland and Furness, LA14 3JT
HeadteacherAllison Redshaw
Local AuthorityWestmorland and Furness
Number of Pupils518
Free School Meals (FSM)25.7%
School Capacity518 / 900 (58% full)

The full report on this school

What 79 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

7 May 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal Development
Requires improvement
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 14 Jul 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Dining HallICT SuiteArt StudiosAstro TurfMusic RoomsTheatreLibraryScience LabsPlaying Fields

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

18

Sports

RoundersFootballCross CountryGymnasticsRowingRugbyAthleticsMartial Arts

Clubs & Activities

Duke of EdinburghOrchestraChoirDebateScience ClubNewspaperModel United NationsBook ClubDramaEco Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Walney School

Walney School has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.