Allithwaite CofE Primary School

Allithwaite CofE Primary School is a small Church of England primary school in Cumbria, with mixed-age classes and a relatively low proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. Safeguarding standards are met, and pupils are described as feeling known, cared for and safe. The early years, inclusion and personal development and wellbeing aspects are performing as expected: children get a positive start, communication and language are prioritised, pupils with SEND are identified early and supported alongside their peers, and pupils benefit from a broad programme of clubs, trips, leadership roles and pastoral support. However, several important areas need improvement. Some pupils do not build secure knowledge across subjects, handwriting and spelling errors are not routinely corrected, and some pupils do not learn to read accurately as quickly as they could. Behaviour is variable because staff do not consistently apply leaders' renewed expectations, particularly at playtimes and other less structured times, and this can mean pupils miss parts of lessons. Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum and have identified the right priorities, but teaching does not consistently connect new learning to prior learning or follow the early reading curriculum with fidelity. Quality assurance and governance do not yet check precisely enough whether leaders' actions are improving pupils' outcomes and experiences, and the impact of recent changes is not yet known. There are notable strengths to build on. Attendance is above the national average and persistent absence is below national levels. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND make suitable progress from their starting points, staff value the professional development they receive, and parents are positive about the school. The next steps rightly focus on consistent early reading teaching, correcting transcription gaps in writing, routinely revisiting prior learning, and applying behaviour expectations consistently so that all pupils can learn without interruption.

Strengths

• Safeguarding arrangements meet standards and pupils feel safe.
• Staff build warm, caring relationships with pupils.
• Early years prioritises communication and language development.
• Children who fall behind in early reading receive timely support to catch up.
• Pupils with SEND are identified early and supported alongside their classmates.
• External specialist advice is used effectively to adapt the curriculum for pupils with SEND.
• Personal development teaches pupils to respect others and keep themselves safe.
• Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, trips, residentials and leadership roles.
• Attendance is above the national average and persistent absence is below national levels.
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND make suitable progress from their starting points.
• Staff value the professional development they receive and feel supported with wellbeing and workload.
• Parents and carers are positive about the school.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils do not develop secure knowledge across subjects.
• Handwriting and spelling errors are not routinely corrected, limiting pupils' accurate writing.
• Some pupils do not learn to read accurately as quickly as they could.
• Teachers do not consistently connect new learning to pupils' prior learning.
• The early reading curriculum is not consistently followed with fidelity.
• Behaviour expectations are applied inconsistently, especially at playtimes and unstructured times.
• Some pupils lose focus and miss parts of lessons because behaviour is variable.
• Quality assurance and governors do not check precisely enough the impact of leaders' actions.
• Recent improvements are new and their impact on teaching and outcomes is not yet known.
• Some children in early years learn letters incorrectly because letter-formation activities are not consistently well chosen.
• Disadvantaged pupils' reading and mathematics outcomes are below national averages over the latest three-year period.

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 Allithwaite CofE Primary School attended 96.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.7% 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, 0.9% of pupils at Allithwaite CofE 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 Allithwaite CofE Primary School had 23.0 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, 15.6% of pupils at Allithwaite CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.7% 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 Allithwaite CofE Primary School received £7,985 and spent £8,248 for each of its 103 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £87,000 (-£840 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 Grange-Over-Sands · Westmorland and Furness local authority: places and applications

What is Allithwaite CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Allithwaite CofE Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Allithwaite CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Allithwaite CofE Primary School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Allithwaite CofE Primary School have?

Allithwaite CofE Primary School has 109 pupils on roll.

What age range does Allithwaite CofE Primary School cover?

Allithwaite CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Allithwaite CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Allithwaite CofE Primary School?

Allithwaite CofE Primary School is at Church Road, Allithwaite, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 7RD.