Dean CofE School

Dean CofE School has demonstrated a solid overall performance, achieving a 'Good' rating across all domains for the first time since its conversion to an academy. Pupils show a positive attitude towards learning, and leaders have fostered a supportive and nurturing environment that encourages hard work and personal development. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, with a strong emphasis on reading and extracurricular activities that enhance student engagement and confidence.

Strengths

• Pupils have positive attitudes towards learning and feel safe and happy at school.
• Leaders maintain high expectations for all students, including those with SEND.
• The curriculum is well-structured and ambitious from early years to Year 6.
• There is a strong focus on reading across all age groups, promoting a love for books.
• Pupils engage in a diverse range of extracurricular activities that foster resilience.

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, teachers are unclear about essential knowledge pupils should learn, impacting retention.
• Teaching staff in the early years need to clarify learning objectives in activities to better prepare children.

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 Dean CofE School attended 96.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.8% 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 Dean CofE 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 Dean CofE School had 20.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 35.2% 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, 5.2% of pupils at Dean CofE School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 Dean CofE School received £8,444 and spent £7,933 for each of its 91 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £149,000 (£1,632 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.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

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

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

What is Dean CofE School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Dean CofE School is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Dean CofE School last inspected by Ofsted?

Dean CofE School was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Dean CofE School have?

Dean CofE School has 96 pupils on roll.

What age range does Dean CofE School cover?

Dean CofE School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 45% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Dean CofE School?

Dean CofE School is at Dean, Workington, CA14 4TH.