Caldew School, Carlisle

In its own words: "Staff have high expectations for pupils’ and students’ behaviour and learning . Pupils and students behave well in lessons and around the school site."

In 2026, pupils at Caldew School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 40.4 in Cumberland and 47 across England.

23% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 32% in Cumberland and 47% in England.

That is down from 44.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.19: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 30, against 42.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 180 families put Caldew School as their first choice and 427 named it as one of their preferences, for 164 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 21 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Caldew School are Richard Rose Morton Academy (2.5 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41.5); Trinity School (4 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 39.4); Richard Rose Central Academy (4.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.4); and St John Henry Newman Catholic School (4.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.9).

Caldew School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Of the 145 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 45% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 10% into work.

Of the 73 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 38% went on to university or other higher education, 11% to apprenticeships and 43% into work. 19% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

3.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 148 pupils (14.9%) received SEN support and 64 (6.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

Caldew School has a resourced provision for autism.

The nearest railway station is Dalston (Cumbria) Rail Station, about 520 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Caldew School grounds (at), 40 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 12 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, burglary and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cumberland (22).

In 2024/25, Caldew School issued 144 suspensions, 14.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.