Valley Primary School and Nursery

Valley Primary School and Nursery continues to perform well as a good school. Pupils exhibit a cheerful disposition and display positive attitudes, thanks to the warm relationships established between staff and students. The school has high expectations for achievement, and most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, strive to do their best in lessons. They are supported effectively in their learning, especially in early reading through a robust phonics programme. Notably, the school emphasizes the importance of personal development through various extracurricular activities, fostering respect and tolerance among pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, friendly, and confident.
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils.
• High expectations for pupils' achievement.
• Ambitious curriculum with clear progression.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND.
• Personalised programme for pupils' broader development.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in addressing errors and misconceptions in pupils' learning.

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 Valley Primary School and Nursery attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 21.5% 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 Valley Primary School and Nursery 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 Valley Primary School and Nursery had 19.1 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, 31.8% of pupils at Valley Primary School and Nursery were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.9% 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 Valley Primary School and Nursery received £7,750 and spent £7,817 for each of its 286 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £62,000 (-£217 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 Valley Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Valley Primary School and Nursery is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Valley Primary School and Nursery last inspected by Ofsted?

Valley Primary School and Nursery was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Valley Primary School and Nursery have?

Valley Primary School and Nursery has 286 pupils on roll.

What age range does Valley Primary School and Nursery cover?

Valley Primary School and Nursery for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Valley Primary School and Nursery's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Valley Primary School and Nursery?

Valley Primary School and Nursery is at Whinlatter Road, Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA28 8DA.