Church Walk CofE Primary School, Ulverston

Ofsted's report card from its 10 March 2026 inspection grades Church Walk CofE Primary School on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Expected standard. "Staff have warm, nurturing relationships with children."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have created an inclusive culture where all pupils are fully included in the life of the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have ensured that the school's personal development programme is coherent, broad and ambitious."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Some pupils do not develop the knowledge and skills they need in handwriting and number facts."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Leaders' expectations of pupils' behaviour are not consistently realised in practice."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Teachers check how well pupils are learning."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Governors are clear about their vision for the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should embed recent improvements to the teaching of handwriting and mathematics to ensure that pupils gain the fluency and knowledge they need in these aspects of their learning"; "Leaders should ensure that they, and teachers, use assessment processes effectively to support them in identifying and addressing precise gaps in pupils' foundational knowledge"; "Leaders should ensure that pupils understand and consistently follow the school's expectations of their behaviour, so that they can learn in a calm environment and focus fully on their learning"; "Governors should strengthen their oversight of the quality and impact of the curriculum so that they can provide effective challenge and support to leaders".

In its own words: "As a Church school, our vision and Christian Values run through every aspect of our curriculum and ethos.. The Christian Values that our school community have chosen, are respect, trust, compassion and forgiveness. Each class has taken one of these Christian Values and looked for examples within school and the wider world."

The school runs after-school care.

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at Church Walk CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Westmorland and Furness and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 75% in reading and 44% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 10 families put Church Walk CofE Primary School as their first choice and 28 named it as one of their preferences, for 14 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Church Walk CofE Primary School are Sir John Barrow School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 91% reading, 91% maths); St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Ulverston (0.6 miles, 100% reading, 83% maths); Croftlands Junior School (1.1 miles, Good, 71% reading, 79% maths); and Croftlands Infant School (1.1 miles, Good).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Church Walk CofE Primary School.

21 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Church Walk CofE Primary School (as of April 2026): 86% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).

8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (91%) and Mixed (6%).

In 2026, 19 pupils (21.6%) received SEN support and 4 (4.5%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

Church Walk CofE Primary School had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 790 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ainsle Street (at), 150 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 54 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11), as is usual near a town centre.

Church Walk CofE Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.