William Howard School
89%
Capacity
1,303
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About William Howard School
William Howard School, a large mixed secondary in Cumberland, has been rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection, a significant improvement from its previous rating of Requires Improvement. The school’s Progress 8 score of -0.19, which measures pupils’ academic progress from the end of primary school to GCSEs, is a key indicator of its performance. While this score is slightly below the national average of 0, it is notably better than the Cumberland local authority average of -0.44, placing the school 7th out of 17 secondary schools in the area. This suggests that pupils at William Howard typically make more progress than their peers at many other local schools, even if there is still room to reach the national benchmark.
Looking more closely at the exam results, the school’s Attainment 8 score stands at 42, meaning the average pupil achieves the equivalent of a grade 4 or low grade 5 across their best eight GCSE subjects. The basics measure, which tracks pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, sits at 33.5%, while 60.3% achieve a grade 4 or above in those core subjects. The school’s EBacc average point score is 3.7, and only 17% of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is 0.06, which is in the average banding, and the average points per entry is 33.55, equivalent to a C+ grade. The sixth form provision is also rated Good by Ofsted.
The school is oversubscribed for Year 7 entry, with 369 applications for 232 places, and 229 of those offers went to first-preference applicants. Facilities include a theatre, science labs, art studios, a sixth form centre, and an astro turf pitch, with a wide range of sports and clubs on offer, from rugby and hockey to coding and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The school has a dedicated resourced provision and supports a broad range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder and speech and language difficulties. Parent views are generally positive: 87% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 89% felt their child does well. The school is a solid, improving choice for families in the Cumberland area who want a large, inclusive secondary with a good sixth form and a strong record of progress relative to the local authority.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Longtown Road, Brampton, Cumberland, CA8 1AR |
| Headteacher | Kath Pigdon |
| Local Authority | Cumberland |
| Number of Pupils | 1,303 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,303 / 1,462 (89% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
25 Jun 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (25 Jun 2025): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 20 May 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.19)
1988th of 3,141
Nationally
234th of 445
In North West
7th of 17
In Cumberland
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
30.4
'22/23
34.6
'23/24
33.5
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2343%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 237 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)43%
- FE college31%
- Apprenticeship13%
- Employment8%
- Not sustained3%
96% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2354%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 110 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
16%
Russell Group
18%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)54%
- Employment25%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Further education5%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Biology25
- Mathematics21
- Psychology18
- Economics13
- Geography13
- Logic / Philosophy13
- Physics13
- Business Studies:Single11
- Design and Technology (Product Design)11
- English Literature11
- English Language and Literature9
- History9
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
133 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed232
369
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
237 families put this school as their 1st choice (64% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Source: williamhoward.cumbria.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British91.9%
- White (other)3.9%
- Mixed1.7%
- Asian0.9%
- Black0.1%
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.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
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 William Howard 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
Longtown Road, Brampton
Cumberland, CA8 1AR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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