Thwaites School

Thwaites School is a small rural primary that provides a caring, close-knit and safe environment. Following its previous 'requires improvement' inspection, it was inspected in July 2025 under the graded framework, which no longer gives an overall effectiveness grade. The quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and early years provision were judged good, while personal development was judged outstanding. A new headteacher has been appointed since the last inspection. Pupils are polite, respectful and happy, with strong relationships across year groups. The revised curriculum is well designed and sequenced in most subjects, and staff use secure subject knowledge to help pupils build on prior learning. Early reading and phonics are prioritised, and the early years provision develops communication, social skills and a love of reading. Personal development is exceptional, with a wide range of clubs, trips, residentials and leadership roles that build confidence and prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. Attendance is prioritised, safeguarding is effective, and governors have improved their oversight while valuing staff wellbeing. Two main areas need improvement. In a small number of subjects, key knowledge is not clearly sequenced, so new learning does not always build on what pupils already know. The school also does not ensure staff have enough information about pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, which means some activities are not adapted well enough for these pupils to access the curriculum successfully.

Strengths

• Caring, close-knit and safe school community with strong relationships across year groups.
• High expectations and secure staff subject knowledge help pupils thrive and build on prior learning in most subjects.
• Strong early reading and phonics provision, with support helping most pupils keep up.
• Early years staff use carefully considered interactions to develop communication, social skills and a love of stories.
• Exceptional personal development offer with clubs, trips, residentials and leadership roles.
• Pupils are polite, respectful and motivated by clear routines and the reward system.
• Attendance is prioritised and families receive effective support when needed.
• Governors understand the school's strengths and areas for development and value staff wellbeing.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects, key knowledge is not clearly sequenced so teaching does not always build on prior learning.
• Staff do not have enough information about pupils with SEND, and lesson activities are not adapted sufficiently for these pupils.

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 Thwaites School attended 96.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.7% 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, 2.7% of pupils at Thwaites 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 Thwaites School had 7.4 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, 7.1% of pupils at Thwaites School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.1% 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 Thwaites School received £16,038 and spent £17,321 for each of its 28 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £190,000 (-£6,777 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 Millom · Cumberland local authority: places and applications

What is Thwaites School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Thwaites School is Good, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Thwaites School last inspected by Ofsted?

Thwaites School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Thwaites School have?

Thwaites School has 28 pupils on roll.

What age range does Thwaites School cover?

Thwaites School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Thwaites School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 29% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Thwaites School?

Thwaites School is at Hallthwaites, Millom, Cumbria, LA18 5HP.