The hardest schools to get into in Westmorland and Furness
Secondary: 64 families put Chetwynde School first in 2026 and 30 of them (47%) were offered a place.
Reception: 23 families put Penny Bridge CofE School first in 2026 and 15 of them (65%) were offered a place.
Every state school in Westmorland and Furness with at least 20 first-choice applicants, hardest first. Of the families who put the school first on their application, the share who were offered a place there. Data: Department for Education.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chetwynde School · Barrow-in-Furness | 64 | 30 (47%) | 30 |
| 2 | John Ruskin School · Coniston | 52 | 46 (89%) | 46 |
| 3 | Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Penrith · Penrith · grammar (11-plus) | 175 | 158 (90%) | 158 |
| 4 | Queen Elizabeth School · Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale | 258 | 240 (93%) | 248 |
| 5 | Kirkbie Kendal School · Kendal | 199 | 187 (94%) | 188 |
| 6 | Furness Academy · Barrow-in-Furness | 263 | 252 (96%) | 258 |
| 7 | Settlebeck School · Sedbergh | 32 | 31 (97%) | 32 |
| 8 | The Queen Katherine School · Kendal | 119 | 118 (99%) | 124 |
| 9 | Ulverston Victoria High School · Ulverston | 157 | 157 (100%) | 160 |
| 10 | Ullswater Community College · Penrith | 156 | 156 (100%) | 161 |
| 11 | Dowdales School · Dalton-in-Furness | 153 | 153 (100%) | 160 |
| 12 | St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow · Barrow-in-Furness · faith | 97 | 97 (100%) | 123 |
| 13 | Dallam School · Cumbria | 80 | 80 (100%) | 95 |
| 14 | Appleby Grammar School · Appleby-in-Westmorland | 76 | 76 (100%) | 76 |
| 15 | Cartmel Priory CofE School · Grange-over-Sands · faith | 63 | 63 (100%) | 64 |
| 16 | The Lakes School · Windermere | 58 | 58 (100%) | 61 |
| 17 | Walney Academy · Barrow-in-Furness | 54 | 54 (100%) | 59 |
| 18 | Kirkby Stephen Grammar School · Kirkby Stephen | 50 | 50 (100%) | 50 |
| 19 | Samuel King's School · Alston | 24 | 24 (100%) | 24 |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Penny Bridge CofE School · Ulverston · faith | 23 | 15 (65%) | 15 |
| 2 | Yarlside Academy · Barrow-in-Furness | 39 | 28 (72%) | 29 |
| 3 | Dane Ghyll Community Primary School and Nursery · Barrow in Furness | 37 | 27 (73%) | 28 |
| 4 | Pennington CofE School · Ulverston · faith | 39 | 29 (74%) | 30 |
| 5 | Chetwynde School · Barrow-in-Furness | 32 | 25 (78%) | 30 |
| 6 | Sir John Barrow School · Ulverston | 30 | 25 (83%) | 30 |
| 7 | St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Ulverston · Ulverston · faith | 21 | 19 (91%) | 19 |
| 8 | Roose School · Barrow-in-Furness | 30 | 28 (93%) | 30 |
| 9 | Askam Village School · Askam-in-furness | 31 | 29 (94%) | 29 |
| 10 | St Mary's CofE Primary School · Carnforth · faith | 31 | 29 (94%) | 29 |
| 11 | Victoria Infant and Nursery School · Barrow-in-Furness | 53 | 52 (98%) | 58 |
| 12 | Ghyllside Primary School · Kendal | 59 | 59 (100%) | 59 |
| 13 | Heron Hill Primary School · Kendal | 56 | 56 (100%) | 56 |
| 14 | Beaconside CofE Primary School · Penrith · faith | 49 | 49 (100%) | 49 |
| 15 | Newbarns Primary and Nursery School · Barrow-in-Furness | 44 | 44 (100%) | 48 |
| 16 | Brunswick School · Penrith | 32 | 32 (100%) | 32 |
| 17 | South Walney Infant and Nursery School · Barrow-in-Furness | 32 | 32 (100%) | 32 |
| 18 | Brisbane Park Infant School · Barrow-in-Furness | 30 | 30 (100%) | 30 |
| 19 | Castle Park School · Kendal | 30 | 30 (100%) | 30 |
| 20 | Croftlands Infant School · Ulverston | 27 | 27 (100%) | 35 |
| 21 | St Mark's CofE Primary School · Natland, Kendal · faith | 27 | 27 (100%) | 27 |
| 22 | Langwathby CofE Primary School · Penrith · faith | 26 | 26 (100%) | 27 |
| 23 | Dalton St Mary's CofE Primary School · Dalton-in-Furness · faith | 25 | 25 (100%) | 27 |
| 24 | St Martin & St Mary Church of England Primary School · Windermere · faith | 25 | 25 (100%) | 25 |
| 25 | Holy Family Catholic Primary School · Barrow-in-Furness · faith | 25 | 25 (100%) | 29 |
| 26 | Parkside Academy · BARROW-in-FURNESS | 24 | 24 (100%) | 27 |
| 27 | Grange CofE Primary School · Grange-over-Sands · faith | 23 | 23 (100%) | 23 |
| 28 | St Thomas's CofE Primary School · Kendal · faith | 23 | 23 (100%) | 23 |
| 29 | Yanwath Primary School · Penrith | 22 | 22 (100%) | 23 |
| 30 | St Columba's School · Barrow-in-Furness · faith | 21 | 21 (100%) | 21 |
| 31 | St Pius X Catholic Primary School, Barrow · Barrow-in-Furness · faith | 20 | 20 (100%) | 22 |
| 32 | St George's CofE School · Barrow-in-Furness · faith | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
Getting into a school in Westmorland and Furness
What is the hardest school to get into in Westmorland and Furness?
For secondary places, 64 families put Chetwynde School first in 2026 and 30 of them (47%) were offered a place. For Reception, 23 families put Penny Bridge CofE School first and 15 of them (65%) were offered a place.
How many families in Westmorland and Furness get their first-choice school?
96.4% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 96.1% of those applying for Reception did (offers for September 2026).
Does putting a school first improve our chances?
Not at the other schools you name. Councils in England use an equal-preference system: every school you list is considered against its own admissions criteria, and if more than one could offer a place you get the one you ranked highest. So list schools in your genuine order of preference, and include at least one you are very likely to get.
What does "last distance offered" mean?
For schools that give places by distance, it is how far from the school the last child offered a place under that criterion lived. It changes every year with the number and location of applicants, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee. We show it where Westmorland and Furness published it in its admissions booklet.