Ambleside CofE Primary School

Ambleside CofE Primary School is a small Church of England primary school within the Good Shepherd Multi Academy Trust. At the time of this full inspection, the school was judged to be meeting the expected standard in all evaluated areas, and safeguarding standards were met. Leaders have worked diligently since the previous inspection to improve curriculum consistency and teaching, and these efforts have had a positive impact on pupils’ achievement and readiness for the next stage of education. The school’s strongest features include excellent attendance, with very low persistent absence, and a calm, safe and positive environment where pupils behave well and bullying is rare. Pupils typically achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics, including disadvantaged pupils, and those with SEND progress well from their starting points. Early years provision is effective, phonics is taught with precision, and the curriculum is well sequenced with a strong focus on vocabulary, which particularly benefits pupils who speak English as an additional language. Personal development, pastoral support, governance and trust support are also notable strengths. There are, however, a small number of subjects beyond reading, writing and mathematics where some key content is not taught in enough depth or detail, which limits pupils’ knowledge. Expectations for the quality and presentation of written work are also inconsistent across the curriculum, meaning some pupils do not apply the same care and diligence as they do in English. Leaders have identified these areas and begun to address them, but the actions are still at an early stage.

Strengths

• Leaders have secured excellent attendance and extremely low persistent absence.
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND attend school routinely and better than national averages for similar groups.
• Pupils behave well in lessons and social times, and bullying is rare.
• The school provides a calm, safe and inclusive environment where pupils feel valued and respected.
• Leaders have established an effective, well-sequenced curriculum suited to mixed-age classes.
• Vocabulary development is a strong focus and particularly benefits pupils who speak English as an additional language.
• Phonics is taught with high precision, helping many pupils become fluent, confident readers by the end of Year 2.
• Pupils typically achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics, with Year 6 results in line with or above national averages.
• Pupils with SEND generally receive effective adjustments and progress well from their individual starting points.
• Early years children get off to a positive start and are well prepared for Year 1.
• Personal development and wellbeing are carefully considered, including safety around open water and online safety.
• Leaders, governors and the trust provide effective support and challenge, and staff are positive about working at the school.

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects beyond reading, writing and mathematics, some key content is not taught in sufficient depth and detail, limiting pupils’ knowledge.
• Expectations for the quality and presentation of written work are inconsistent across the curriculum.
• Some pupils do not consistently show the same care and diligence in written work across all subjects as they do in English.
• Actions to address weaknesses in curriculum depth and written-work expectations are at an early stage.

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 Ambleside CofE Primary School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.8% 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 Ambleside CofE Primary School 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 Ambleside CofE Primary School had 14.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 40.0% 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, 7.7% of pupils at Ambleside CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.7% 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 2023–24 Ambleside CofE Primary School received £9,547 and spent £9,557 for each of its 73 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £144,000 (£1,976 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of The Good Shepherd Multi Academy Trust, income was £9,527 and spending £9,193 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 Westmorland And Furness · Westmorland and Furness local authority: places and applications

Ambleside CofE Primary School is part of The Good Shepherd Multi Academy Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Threlkeld CofE Primary School Keswick
• Penny Bridge CofE School Ulverston
• Braithwaite CofE Primary School Keswick
• Lorton School Cockermouth
• Kirkland Church of England Academy Frizington
• All Saints' CofE School Cockermouth
• Dean CofE School Workington
• Lazonby C of E Primary School Penrith
• Wreay Church of England Primary School Carlisle
• Ellenborough Academy Maryport

What is Ambleside CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ambleside CofE Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Ambleside CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ambleside CofE Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Ambleside CofE Primary School have?

Ambleside CofE Primary School has 52 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ambleside CofE Primary School cover?

Ambleside CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Ambleside CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ambleside CofE Primary School?

Ambleside CofE Primary School is at Vicarage Road, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9DH.