Cambian Whinfell School, Kendal
Cambian Whinfell School is a special school for boys aged 7 to 19 in Kendal. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Cambian Whinfell School in detail
Cambian Whinfell School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby, cricket, cooking, gardening, Duke of Edinburgh, forest school and cheerleading.
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Cambian Whinfell School are South Lakes Academy (0.7 miles, Good); Sandgate School (1 mile, Good); Appletree School (3 miles, Good, selective); and Cairn Education CIC (3.7 miles, Good).
South Lakes AcademySandgate SchoolAppletree SchoolCairn Education CIC
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Cambian Whinfell School has an education, health and care plan (16 of 16 in 2026).
Cambian Whinfell School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Highfield (at), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 127 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school transforms the lives of young people who have previously struggled with education. Staff know each pupil deeply and create a warm, respectful environment where pupils feel safe enough to take risks and believe in themselves. The school goes far beyond academics - pupils develop the resilience, life skills and confidence they need to thrive independently after leaving.
Key Strengths
- Carefully designed curriculum that matches each pupil's individual needs and builds on their strengths
- Expert teaching staff who skilfully adapt learning and help pupils develop a 'can do' attitude
- Strong reading programme with regular library visits and personalised book recommendations that helps pupils become confident, fluent readers
- Intensive therapeutic support that promotes positive mental health alongside ambitious learning
- Extensive work experience and community volunteering opportunities that prepare pupils for independence and help them develop essential life skills
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Work experience opportunities, voluntary community projects (helping local residents with home improvements and neighbourhood safety), library visits, art and design activities
Cambian Whinfell School is an outstanding independent special school for boys aged 7-19 with autism spectrum disorder and other SEND needs. The school has the highest expectations for pupils and provides a transformational education experience.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Cambian Whinfell School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 7 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
89%
Available places
16 pupils
18 places
2 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Kendal
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Kendal
Across Westmorland and Furness council
Places available
2,857
Applications
1,903
Got 1st preference
96.4%
Got preferred school
99.5%
All secondary applications across Westmorland and Furness council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
16
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Cambian Whinfell School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
16
Total Pupils
16
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Cambian Whinfell School
Questions parents ask about Cambian Whinfell School
What is Cambian Whinfell School's Ofsted rating?
Cambian Whinfell School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025.
Does Cambian Whinfell School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in March 2025, Cambian Whinfell School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Cambian Whinfell School?
Cambian Whinfell School has around 16 pupils on roll.
Does Cambian Whinfell School have specialist SEN provision?
Cambian Whinfell School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to Cambian Whinfell School?
Cambian Whinfell School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Cambian Whinfell School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 7 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cambian Whinfell School?
Cambian Whinfell School is at 110 Windermere Road, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 5EZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)