Beaconside CofE Primary School

Beaconside CofE Primary School maintains its status as a good school, characterized by a supportive environment where pupils are eager to learn and engage in their lessons. The school has implemented strong teaching practices, particularly in early reading, and provides a well-structured curriculum that caters to the needs of all students, including those with special educational needs. Students enjoy diverse extracurricular activities that enhance their learning experiences and foster personal development. Despite its strengths, the school faces challenges with the transition from early years to key stage 1, where connections between the curriculums need better articulation. Additionally, improvement is necessary in certain subjects where assessment strategies are still being developed, impacting teachers' ability to promptly address gaps in students' understanding. These areas present opportunities for the school to enhance its overall educational framework.

Strengths

• Pupils arrive happy and eager to learn.
• Effective prioritization of early reading instruction.
• Broad curriculum that meets diverse pupil needs.
• Teachers provide strong subject knowledge and engaging activities.
• Effective behavior management resulting in a calm learning environment.
• High levels of pupil participation in clubs and extracurricular activities.
• Supportive governing body that challenges and supports the school.

Areas for Improvement

• Links between early years and key stage 1 curriculum are unclear.
• Some subjects lack developed assessment approaches.

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 Beaconside CofE Primary School attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.9% 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, 0.7% of pupils at Beaconside 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 Beaconside CofE Primary School had 19.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.5% 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, 9.4% of pupils at Beaconside CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 4 pupils.

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 Beaconside CofE Primary School received £7,088 and spent £7,186 for each of its 434 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £18,000 (-£42 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 Penrith · Westmorland and Furness local authority: places and applications

What is Beaconside CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Beaconside CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Beaconside CofE Primary School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Beaconside CofE Primary School have?

Beaconside CofE Primary School has 445 pupils on roll.

What age range does Beaconside CofE Primary School cover?

Beaconside CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 51% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Beaconside CofE Primary School?

Beaconside CofE Primary School is at Hutton Hill, Beaconside C of E Primary School, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 8EN.