Appleby Grammar School

Appleby Grammar School is a small community secondary and sixth form, and this full inspection found it performing at the expected standard across all evaluated areas, with safeguarding standards met. Leaders, including those new to post since September 2024, have taken decisive action that has already improved behaviour, attendance and achievement. Pupils feel safe, happy and listened to; relationships are respectful, the school is calm, and pupils typically achieve well, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. Strengths include a broad and ambitious curriculum, effective inclusion, strong pastoral support and a wide programme of personal development, trips, clubs and careers guidance. All Year 11 and sixth-form leavers moved on to appropriate destinations, and the sixth form provides a suitable academic offer with attainment and progress broadly in line with national averages. Published 2025 key stage 4 outcomes in English and maths and Attainment 8 were below national averages, but the school’s small size meant a minority of pupils had a disproportionate effect and current pupils achieve well. Areas for development are limited. Leaders should ensure teachers consistently use assessment information to revisit gaps in learning so pupils remember more securely, and continue work to improve attendance for a minority of pupils. Overall, the school is meeting expected standards and is well placed to build on recent improvements.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe, happy and confident that staff will address concerns promptly.
• Behaviour is calm and respectful, with positive attitudes to learning and rare bullying.
• Attendance has improved and is typically close to national averages.
• A broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum is accessible to all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are identified quickly and supported effectively.
• Leaders and governors are ambitious, outward-facing and have taken decisive action to raise standards.
• Teaching is generally strong, with secure subject knowledge and effective questioning.
• The personal development programme builds character, safety awareness and understanding of British values.
• A wide range of extracurricular activities, trips and leadership roles is open to all pupils.
• Careers advice and guidance prepare pupils and sixth-form students well for their next steps.
• All Year 11 and sixth-form leavers progressed to appropriate education, employment or training.
• Staff are proud to work at the school and feel supported with workload and professional development.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment practice is not fully consistent across the school, so some pupils do not have gaps in learning revisited securely.
• A minority of pupils still need further support to attend school more regularly.
• Some published 2025 key stage 4 outcomes were below national averages, influenced by the school’s small cohort.

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 Appleby Grammar School attended 91.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 23.9% 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, 5.8% of pupils at Appleby Grammar 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 Appleby Grammar School had 17.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.6% 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, 14.3% of pupils at Appleby Grammar School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 0.8% 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 Appleby Grammar School received £7,625 and spent £8,022 for each of its 360 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £205,000 (£569 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.

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• Secondary Schools

All schools in Appleby-In-Westmorland · Westmorland and Furness local authority: places and applications

What is Appleby Grammar School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Appleby Grammar School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Appleby Grammar School last inspected by Ofsted?

Appleby Grammar School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Appleby Grammar School have?

Appleby Grammar School has 357 pupils on roll.

What age range does Appleby Grammar School cover?

Appleby Grammar School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Appleby Grammar School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 40.7, and 34% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Appleby Grammar School?

Appleby Grammar School is at Battlebarrow, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, CA16 6XU.