Blackford CofE Primary School

Blackford CofE Primary School is performing well overall, with pupils flourishing in a happy, nurturing environment and achieving well across a wide range of subjects. The inspection found notable strengths in the curriculum, reading and phonics, support for pupils with SEND, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision, and leadership and governance. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and staff morale is high. This was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the headteacher was appointed in September 2023. The school is a small voluntary-aided Church of England primary in the Diocese of Carlisle, with 53 pupils aged 3 to 11. Under the current inspection framework, no overall effectiveness grade is given, but all key judgements were good. The main area for improvement is that new curriculums in a small number of subjects are not yet fully embedded, meaning some activities do not consistently help pupils secure the intended key knowledge and some pupils' knowledge is less secure than it could be.

Strengths

• Rich, ambitious curriculum carefully sequenced for mixed-age classes, including SEND and early years
• Effective assessment used to identify gaps and adapt subsequent lessons
• Strong reading culture with clear, consistent phonics teaching from Reception
• Quick and accurate identification of SEND, with effective curriculum adaptations
• Pupils are confident, enthusiastic learners with positive behaviour and attitudes
• Personal development promoted well through trips, clubs, British values and wider opportunities
• Governors know the school well and provide effective support and challenge
• Staff well-being and workload considered, with high morale and strengthened training
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Attendance concerns are identified and addressed swiftly

Areas for Improvement

• New curriculums in a small number of subjects are not fully embedded, so some pupils do not secure the intended depth of knowledge
• Activities in those subjects do not always help pupils understand the key knowledge the school intends

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 Blackford CofE Primary School attended 94.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.9% 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 Blackford 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 Blackford CofE Primary School had 15.2 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, 8.3% of pupils at Blackford CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.3% 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 Blackford CofE Primary School received £11,108 and spent £10,574 for each of its 55 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £7,000 (-£124 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 Blackford CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Blackford CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Blackford CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Blackford CofE Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Blackford CofE Primary School have?

Blackford CofE Primary School has 60 pupils on roll.

What age range does Blackford CofE Primary School cover?

Blackford CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 13% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Blackford CofE Primary School?

Blackford CofE Primary School is at Blackford, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA6 4ES.