Keswick School

Keswick School has been rated as outstanding in all evaluated areas, reaffirming its previous inspection grade from 2014. The school demonstrates exceptional leadership, providing an inspiring and inclusive environment. Students, including those with special educational needs, excel academically and personally, benefiting from a broad and ambitious curriculum that prepares them well for future pathways. The school culture promotes respectful behavior, encouraging students to be independent and confident learners. Furthermore, the positive contributions made by sixth-form students enhance the overall school community, supporting younger pupils in various capacities.

Strengths

• Exceptional leadership and management
• Ambitious and high-quality curriculum
• Outstanding behaviour and attitudes of pupils
• Strong personal development and career education
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Comprehensive literacy support from Year 7
• High engagement and motivation in lessons
• Strong community and parental support

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 Keswick School attended 93.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 16.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 4.3% of pupils at Keswick School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 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 Keswick School had 18.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 11.0% of pupils at Keswick School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Keswick School received £8,095 and spent £8,391 for each of its 1,191 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £998,000 (£838 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of Keswick School Multi Academy Trust, income was £8,273 and spending £8,555 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Keswick · Cumberland local authority: places and applications

Keswick School is part of Keswick School Multi Academy Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• Bassenthwaite Primary School Keswick

What is Keswick School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Keswick School is Outstanding, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Keswick School last inspected by Ofsted?

Keswick School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Keswick School have?

Keswick School has 1,208 pupils on roll.

What age range does Keswick School cover?

Keswick School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Keswick School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 50.9, and 55% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Keswick School?

Keswick School is at Vicarage Hill, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5QB.