Chetwynde School

Chetwynde School is performing well with an overall rating of good, reflecting improvements since the previous inspection, where it was rated as requires improvement. The school fosters a supportive and inclusive environment, helping pupils thrive both academically and personally. Pupils are encouraged to develop positive behaviors and relationships, contributing to a calm and orderly school atmosphere. The trust has successfully addressed prior weaknesses in education quality, leading to an effective curriculum and strong teacher support. While most pupils achieve good learning outcomes and possess a positive attitude towards their education, there are areas that need attention, such as ensuring that gaps in knowledge are effectively identified and addressed. The commitment of the staff and support from the multi-academy trust enables the school to provide well-rounded opportunities for pupils, although some students still lack the desire to engage in wider reading activities.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy being part of a close-knit community.
• Staff have high expectations for pupil achievement.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced, ensuring effective learning.
• Strong support for pupils with SEND, ensuring inclusion in all aspects of school life.
• Good relationships between pupils and staff foster a positive learning environment.
• Effective strategies for teaching phonics and reading to younger pupils.
• Parents are well informed and appreciate the school's communication.

Areas for Improvement

• Support for some pupils does not focus well enough on specific gaps in their knowledge.
• Many pupils do not read for pleasure often enough, limiting their reading experiences.

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 Chetwynde School attended 92.7% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 18.6% 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, 3.5% of pupils at Chetwynde School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 2020–21 Chetwynde School had 15.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.6). Of its teachers in 2020–21, 10.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 12.8%).

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, 12.6% of pupils at Chetwynde School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 9.1% 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 Chetwynde School received £7,939 and spent £8,451 for each of its 510 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £369,000 (-£725 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, income was £8,046 and spending £8,375 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 Barrow-In-Furness · Westmorland and Furness local authority: places and applications

Chetwynde School is part of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• Newbarns Primary and Nursery School Barrow-In-Furness
• Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School Barrow-In-Furness
• Cambridge Primary School Barrow-In-Furness
• Vickerstown School Barrow-In-Furness
• South Walney Junior School Barrow-In-Furness

What is Chetwynde School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chetwynde School is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was Chetwynde School last inspected by Ofsted?

Chetwynde School was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does Chetwynde School have?

Chetwynde School has 508 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chetwynde School cover?

Chetwynde School for pupils aged 3 to 16.

What are Chetwynde School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 38.5, and 26% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are Chetwynde School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Chetwynde School?

Chetwynde School is at Rating Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0NY.