Dallam School

Dallam School is generally performing well, with safeguarding standards met and most areas of provision judged at the expected standard. Inspectors found a calm, inclusive and purposeful school where pupils feel safe and happy, behaviour has improved, and relationships between pupils and staff are positive. Leaders have a clear vision, trustees provide effective support and challenge, and staff feel well supported. Attendance is broadly in line with national averages, and pastoral support for pupils and families is effective. Inclusion is a particular strength. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified early and supported well, looked-after children receive impressive support, and pupil premium funding is used thoughtfully. Pupils benefit from a broad personal development programme, a wide range of enrichment activities and effective careers guidance, and post-16 provision is effective with improving outcomes. However, achievement and the quality of curriculum and teaching require attention. Not all pupils achieve as well as they should, and some pupils are capable of achieving better in national tests and examinations. Teaching is inconsistent in places, and some teachers do not check learning promptly enough to close gaps. Support for writing, handwriting, spelling and mathematics is still developing. Leaders know what needs to improve and have appropriate plans, but their work is not yet embedded across the whole curriculum.

Strengths

• Safeguarding culture is open and effective, and pupils feel safe.
• Pupils are happy, respectful and benefit from a calm, purposeful atmosphere.
• Behaviour has improved through consistent routines and high expectations.
• Attendance is broadly in line with national averages, with targeted support for families.
• Leaders identify and support pupils with SEND and additional needs early and effectively.
• Provision for looked-after children and use of pupil premium funding are well considered.
• Leaders, trustees and staff share a clear vision and are aligned on improvement priorities.
• Staff feel well supported, and professional development is matched to school priorities.
• The personal development programme is coherent, age-appropriate and responsive to local risks.
• Pupils access a wide range of extra-curricular activities, enrichment and leadership opportunities.
• Careers guidance helps increasing numbers of pupils continue into education, employment or training.
• Post-16 students receive a well-sequenced curriculum and effective careers support.
• Reading interventions are well designed and have a positive impact.
• Alternative provision is used in pupils' best interests and supports their learning.
• Bullying, discriminatory language and harassment are dealt with swiftly and effectively.

Areas for Improvement

• Not all pupils achieve as well as they should in national tests and examinations.
• Some pupils are capable of achieving better, and underachievement has persisted over time in certain curriculum areas.
• Curriculum and teaching require attention because delivery is inconsistent across the school.
• Some teachers do not check pupils' learning in a timely manner, so gaps in knowledge are not addressed quickly enough.
• Support for pupils with gaps in mathematics, handwriting and spelling is still in its early stages.
• Gaps in some pupils' spelling accuracy and writing fluency lead to inconsistency in the quality of their work.
• Some pupils do not demonstrate positive attitudes towards their own learning.
• There is some variation in teaching quality in post-16 curriculum areas.
• Leaders' improvements to teaching are not yet embedded across the whole curriculum.

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 Dallam School attended 90.3% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 25.3% 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, 8.3% of pupils at Dallam School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 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 Dallam School had 16.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 28.2% 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, 8.0% of pupils at Dallam School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.8% 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 Dallam School received £9,893 and spent £9,884 for each of its 881 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,191,000 (£1,352 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 Westmorland And Furness · Westmorland and Furness local authority: places and applications

What is Dallam School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Dallam School is Needs attention, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Dallam School last inspected by Ofsted?

Dallam School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Dallam School have?

Dallam School has 761 pupils on roll.

What age range does Dallam School cover?

Dallam School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Dallam School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 44.1, and 38% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Dallam School?

Dallam School is at Haverflatts Lane, Milnthorpe, Cumbria, Cumbria, LA7 7DD.