Burgh by Sands School

Burgh by Sands School is a small school of 91 pupils that has been through considerable recent change, with a very recently appointed leadership team. Safeguarding standards are met. Pupils are happy, attend exceptionally well and behave well, and early years and personal development are particular strengths, supported by strong relationships and a broad programme of enrichment and responsibilities. Leaders, governors and the local authority have an accurate view of the school's weaknesses and are taking appropriate action to stabilise and improve the school.

Strengths

• Attendance is well above the national average, including for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Persistent absence is extremely low and has been consistently low over time.
• Pupils behave well and the school is typically calm, safe and inclusive.
• Early years provision gives children a positive start and promotes language development effectively.
• Personal development is broad, carefully sequenced and enriched by visits, clubs and responsibilities.
• Pupils are proud of their school and take on roles such as school councillors, playleaders and assembly helpers.
• Safeguarding arrangements meet the required standards.
• Staff care for pupils and support those with social, emotional and mental health needs.
• Governors fulfil their statutory duties and leaders are taking appropriate action with local authority support.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is below national averages.
• Some pupils have gaps in foundational knowledge and are not ready for the next stage of their education.
• Teaching and curriculum delivery are inconsistent across the school.
• Assessment is variable and basic errors or misconceptions are not addressed swiftly enough.
• Adaptations for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are not consistently effective.
• Inclusion work and support systems are at an early stage of development.
• Leadership and governance improvement work is at an early stage.
• Staff have not received the training needed to teach the curriculum effectively and use assessment well.
• Senior leaders need an accurate understanding of curriculum quality and pupils' outcomes, with regular support and challenge to secure rapid improvement.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Burgh by Sands School attended 97.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 1.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Burgh by Sands School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Burgh by Sands School had 15.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 6.6% of pupils at Burgh by Sands School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Burgh by Sands School received £8,467 and spent £8,969 for each of its 85 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £34,000 (£403 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Carlisle · Cumberland local authority: places and applications

What is Burgh by Sands School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Burgh by Sands School is Needs attention, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Burgh by Sands School last inspected by Ofsted?

Burgh by Sands School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Burgh by Sands School have?

Burgh by Sands School has 91 pupils on roll.

What age range does Burgh by Sands School cover?

Burgh by Sands School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Burgh by Sands School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Burgh by Sands School?

Burgh by Sands School is at Burgh by Sands, Burgh By Sands School, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA5 6AP.