Kirkland Church of England Academy

Kirkland Church of England Academy is performing well, achieving a 'Good' overall effectiveness rating with notable strengths in personal development, where it earned an 'Outstanding' grade. The school fosters an engaging learning environment, with high expectations for students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Pupils express happiness and pride in their school, benefiting from various extracurricular opportunities that promote broad personal development. The academy's leadership and governance have made significant strides since its previous inadequate inspection, which supports its current positive trajectory in educational quality.

Strengths

• Pupils thrive and feel happy at the school.
• High expectations for learning and behavior.
• Strong emotional support for pupils.
• Ambitious and well-structured curriculum.
• Effective training and support for staff.
• Reading program is well-developed and supports all pupils.
• Active role of pupils in school life and community.
• Strong leadership that considers staff well-being.

Areas for Improvement

• Gaps in some pupils' learning due to previous curriculum issues.
• Underdeveloped assessment approaches in some subjects.
• Some pupils do not master accurate letter formation by Year 2.

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 Kirkland Church of England Academy attended 93.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.8% 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 Kirkland Church of England Academy 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 Kirkland Church of England Academy had 20.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 31.0% 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, 21.4% of pupils at Kirkland Church of England Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.1% 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 Kirkland Church of England Academy received £13,620 and spent £12,096 for each of its 31 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £65,000 (£2,108 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 Cumberland · Cumberland local authority: places and applications

Kirkland Church of England Academy is part of The Good Shepherd Multi Academy Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

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

What is Kirkland Church of England Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Kirkland Church of England Academy is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Kirkland Church of England Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Kirkland Church of England Academy was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Kirkland Church of England Academy have?

Kirkland Church of England Academy has 42 pupils on roll.

What age range does Kirkland Church of England Academy cover?

Kirkland Church of England Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

Where is Kirkland Church of England Academy?

Kirkland Church of England Academy is at Kirkland, Frizington, Cumbria, CA26 3XU.