St Bridget's CofE School

St Bridget's CofE School is a small Church of England primary in Parton, Cumbria, with 77 pupils on roll. It is judged to be at the strong standard overall. Leaders have created a warm, inclusive and calm environment where pupils feel safe, behave well and attendance has improved to above the national average. The early years provision is a particular strength: children get off to a flying start through a well-planned curriculum, high-quality outdoor learning and a strong focus on communication. Pupils generally achieve well across a rich, locally contextualised curriculum, and those with SEND or facing disadvantage are supported through effective pastoral care and adaptations. Safeguarding standards are met.

Strengths

• Early years provision is strong, with high-quality outdoor learning and a sharp focus on communication.
• Children in early years make rapid progress and are very well prepared for Year 1.
• Pupils generally achieve well across a rich, locally contextualised curriculum.
• Attendance has improved and is now above the national average, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Behaviour is calm and respectful; bullying and discrimination are rare and addressed swiftly.
• Pupils benefit from strong pastoral support and personal development opportunities.
• Leaders and governors have a clear shared vision and provide effective support and challenge.
• Staff are highly positive about leadership and the support they receive for workload and wellbeing.
• Pupils enjoy a wide range of extracurricular activities, visits and leadership roles.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture.

Areas for Improvement

• Targets for some pupils with SEND are too broad, limiting how sharply support closes gaps and helps them achieve more highly.
• Teaching does not consistently help pupils make explicit links between prior and new learning, limiting depth of understanding across the curriculum.
• Disadvantaged pupils' published outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics are below national averages.

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 St Bridget's CofE School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.8% 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, 1.3% of pupils at St Bridget's CofE School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 St Bridget's CofE School had 13.2 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, 30.3% of pupils at St Bridget's CofE School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.0% 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 St Bridget's CofE School received £9,924 and spent £10,903 for each of its 66 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £32,000 (£488 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 Whitehaven · Cumberland local authority: places and applications

What is St Bridget's CofE School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Bridget's CofE School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was St Bridget's CofE School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Bridget's CofE School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does St Bridget's CofE School have?

St Bridget's CofE School has 66 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Bridget's CofE School cover?

St Bridget's CofE School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Bridget's CofE School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 36% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Bridget's CofE School?

St Bridget's CofE School is at Main Street, Parton, St Bridget's Ce School, Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA28 6NY.