Dowdales School
| Type | Secondary / Community school |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | [Postcode LA15 8AH] Dalton-in-Furness Cumbria LA15 8AH |
| Phone | 01229469800 |
| Reference Number | 112383 |
Dowdales School has maintained the standards identified during its previous good inspection, reflecting its commitment to providing a supportive and effective learning environment. Pupils feel safe and valued within the school community, benefiting from a well-structured and ambitious curriculum that promotes their academic progress. The school excels in fostering positive relationships among students and staff, and many pupils engage actively in extracurricular activities, which enrich their educational experience.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 827 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 50.06%
Girls: 49.94% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 20.1% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 2.9% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 22.8 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 109 | 88 | 197 |
| 8 | 74 | 91 | 165 |
| 9 | 84 | 74 | 158 |
| 10 | 75 | 82 | 157 |
| 11 | 72 | 78 | 150 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 92.5% |
| White & Asian | 2.1% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.3% |
| Mixed, Other | 0.8% |
| White, Other | 0.6% |
| Chinese | 0.6% |
| African | 0.5% |
| Unclassified | 0.4% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.2% |
| Indian | 0.2% |
| Irish | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 04 Feb 2025 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 04 Feb 2025 | School inspection |
| 09 Jul 2019 | Full inspection: |
| 15 Nov 2018 | Short inspection |
| 20 Nov 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 15 Jun 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 25 Jan 2011 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 12 Dec 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 18 Apr 2005 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Warm and welcoming school community.
- High expectations for pupils' achievement.
- Ambitious and well-structured curriculum.
- Positive pupil behaviour in lessons and around school.
- Strong support for pupils who struggle with reading.
- Effective behaviour management systems.
- Comprehensive careers programme preparing pupils for future pathways.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent design of learning activities limiting depth of learning.
- Occasional ineffective adaptations for pupils with SEND.
- Strategies to improve attendance have not been fully effective.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 41.8 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 26% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 48.7% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 135 | 19 |
| Third Preference | 71 | 2 |
| From another Local Authority | 4 | 3 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
George Romney Junior School
Cobden Street, Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA15 8SE |
0.18 miles |
|
Chapel Street Infants and Nursery School
Chapel Street, Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA15 8RX |
0.25 miles |
|
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness
Crooklands Brow, Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA15 8LB |
0.57 miles |
|
Dalton St Mary's CofE Primary School
Coronation Drive, Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA15 8QR |
0.62 miles |
|
Dane Ghyll Community Primary School and Nursery
Skelwith Drive, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, LA14 4PG |
1.76 miles |
|
Newton Village Academy
Newton Road, Newton-in-Furness, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0LT |
1.76 miles |
|
Lindal and Marton Primary School
Pit Lane, Lindal, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 0NB |
1.78 miles |
|
Askam Village School
Lots Road, Askam-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA16 7DA |
1.97 miles |
|
Ireleth St Peter's CofE Primary School
Kirkby Road, Ireleth, Askam-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA16 7EY |
2.09 miles |
|
St Paul's CofE Junior School
Hawcoat Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 4HF |
2.35 miles |
|
Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School
Mill Bank, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 4AR |
2.45 miles |
|
Low Furness CofE Primary School
Church Road, Great Urswick, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 0TA |
2.49 miles |
|
Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Ostley Bank, Newbarns, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9LR |
2.5 miles |
|
Yarlside Academy
Red Oak Avenue, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0LH |
2.59 miles |
|
Newbarns Primary and Nursery School
Rising Side, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9ET |
2.62 miles |
|
Victoria Infant and Nursery School
Oxford Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 5QN |
2.66 miles |
|
Victoria Academy
Devonshire Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 5NE |
2.67 miles |
|
St Pius X Catholic Primary School, Barrow
Schneider Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 4AA |
2.77 miles |
|
Pennington CofE School
Pennington, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 0RR |
2.93 miles |
|
Roose School
North Row, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0HF |
3.11 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Chetwynde School
Rating Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0NY |
2.04 miles |
|
St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow
Rating Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9LE |
2.14 miles |
|
Furness Academy
Park Drive, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9BB |
3.13 miles |
|
Moorfield Learning Centre
Moorfield Street, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9RS |
3.32 miles |
|
Furness College
Channelside, Bessemer Way, Channelside, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 2PJ |
3.76 miles |
|
Ulverston Victoria High School
Springfield Road, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 0EB |
4.16 miles |
|
George Hastwell School Special Academy
Moor Tarn Lane, Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 3LW |
4.68 miles |
|
Walney School
Sandy Gap Lane, Walney, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 3JT |
4.81 miles |