Bowness-on-Solway Primary School, Wigton
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This school creates a warm, family-like environment where each child's individual needs are understood and supported. Learning comes alive through outdoor exploration and visits to places like museums and the aquarium, helping pupils develop a real love of learning. By the time children leave in Year 6, they are well-prepared for their next school with strong knowledge and skills.
Key Strengths
- Strong supportive relationships between staff and pupils, creating a warm and inclusive environment
- Effective use of outdoor learning through the school's forest area and access to the seashore to bring learning to life
- Well-designed curriculum in many subjects with good teacher subject knowledge and effective questioning to address learning gaps
- High attendance rates with effective measures to support pupils who struggle to attend
- Strong provision for pupils with SEND, with timely identification and personalised support
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils do not achieve as well as they should in reading and writing by the end of key stage 1 due to insufficient focus on key vocabulary and limited opportunities to apply phonics to writing
- Safeguarding procedures for recording and sharing information are not sufficiently robust, limiting oversight of safeguarding concerns
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, but the school does not record some actions well enough, which impedes oversight of safeguarding concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
Cross-country, mindfulness club, podcasting, gymnastics team, swimming team, museum visits, aquarium visits, breakfast club, after-school club
Bowness-on-Solway Primary School is a small, happy rural school where pupils are welcomed warmly and their well-being is a priority. The school has maintained good standards and continues to be ambitious for all pupils, though there are areas for improvement in early reading and writing instruction and safeguarding record-keeping.
At a Glance
17.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
11 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2025/26 academic year
Class Sizes
14.3
Avg class size
3
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
38%
Available places
40 pupils
105 capacity
65 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Wigton
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Wigton
Admissions Demand - Cumberland
Places available
3,571
Applications
2,437
Got 1st preference
98.5%
Got preferred school
99.7%
Primary admissions across Cumberland (2025/26)
Inspection History(7)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
2.91262%
Overall absence
5%
Persistent absence
40
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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