Oughterside Primary School

Oughterside Primary School is performing well overall, with an overall effectiveness rating of 'Good'. The school fosters a positive environment where pupils are happy, demonstrating respectful relationships and high expectations for achievement, especially for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, and the school actively engages with the local community, allowing students to contribute positively and develop confidence. Staff are dedicated to nurturing a love of reading and ensuring all pupils progress effectively in their learning. Despite the many strengths, there are areas for improvement, particularly in how staff gauge pupils’ retention of knowledge in some subjects beyond English and mathematics. While many pupils are effectively supported, a lack of consistent assessment practices can leave gaps in understanding that hinder their readiness for new learning. Addressing these issues will help strengthen the already solid foundation the school provides for its pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils develop positive relationships with each other and staff.
• High expectations for pupil achievement, including those with SEND.
• Broad and ambitious curriculum designed from early years to Year 6.
• Teachers present information clearly and engage pupils effectively.
• Strong focus on reading with diverse materials and effective phonics program.
• Pupils participate actively in community events and local projects.
• Governors effectively support and challenge school improvement efforts.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent assessment practices in subjects other than English and mathematics.
• Some pupils are not adequately prepared before moving on to new learning.

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 Oughterside Primary School attended 94.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.6% 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, 8.3% of pupils at Oughterside Primary 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 Oughterside Primary School had 18.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.2% 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, 27.5% of pupils at Oughterside Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.2% 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 Oughterside Primary School received £9,951 and spent £9,884 for each of its 66 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £70,000 (-£1,063 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 Wigton · Cumberland local authority: places and applications

What is Oughterside Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Oughterside Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Oughterside Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Oughterside Primary School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Oughterside Primary School have?

Oughterside Primary School has 69 pupils on roll.

What age range does Oughterside Primary School cover?

Oughterside Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

Where is Oughterside Primary School?

Oughterside Primary School is at Aspatria, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 2PY.