Dearham Primary School, Maryport

Outstanding
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.4km)Possible (~2.0km)Unlikely (~2.5km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Samantha Busigny
Pupils:202 / 271 capacity
LA:Cumberland
Phone:01900812518
Address:The Went, Dearham, Maryport, CA15 7HR
Trust:CHANGING LIVES LEARNING TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 November 2011

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 23 April 2025View full report
URN:137602
UKPRN:10035685
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Penrith and Solway
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Dearham Primary School provides an exciting, well-organized curriculum where children build knowledge step-by-step from Nursery through Year 6. Pupils behave exceptionally well because staff have clear expectations, and the school ensures that all children, including those with additional needs, achieve successfully. The school places reading at the heart of learning and enriches this with a range of engaging activities that help pupils develop into confident, responsible young people.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils achieve well across a broad range of subjects, including those with special educational needs -
  • Reading is at the heart of the curriculum with excellent phonics provision from Reception onwards -
  • Clear behaviour expectations create a calm, orderly school where pupils are polite and respectful -
  • Strong identification and support for pupils with SEND, with effective communication with parents and professionals -
  • Well-organized curriculum where new knowledge builds logically on prior learning

Areas for Improvement

  • Some adaptations for pupils with SEND in mathematics don't encourage independent practice, limiting their ability to apply skills in different situations -
  • New subject leaders need more support to evaluate how well their curriculum is working, particularly for pupils with SEND -
  • A small number of subjects lack clear overview of curriculum impact on pupil achievement

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created an open, positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Cross-country running, sewing, cookery, librarians, school councillors, house captains

Dearham Primary School is a Good primary school where pupils enjoy learning and benefit from a broad, ambitious curriculum. The school has recently stabilized following leadership changes and has taken effective action to improve mathematics teaching across all year groups.

At a Glance

17.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

69 responses
Would recommend91%
Child is happy90%
Well taught93%
Good progress75%
Feels safe96%
Well behaved86%
Bullying dealt with23%
Kept informed86%
Handles concerns57%
Wider development75%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+5ppMaths+12ppWriting-1pp

Reading has improved from 68% to 73%. Maths has improved from 61% to 73%. Writing has remained stable at around 73%.

Class Sizes

24.8

Avg class size

25.0

Infant (KS1)

29.5

KS2

9

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

75%

Available places

202 pupils

271 capacity

69 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Maryport

Low pressure
New homes approved:137
Projected new pupils:34

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Maryport

Admissions Demand - Cumberland

Low demand0.68x oversubscription

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(2)

23 April 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsGood
4 December 2012
OutstandingReport
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding

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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.64149%

Overall absence

16.11111%

Persistent absence

180

Enrolments

Authorised4.37594%
Unauthorised1.26555%
Persistent (10%+)16.11111%
Severe (50%+)0.55556%

Absence trend

3.79884%
18/19
2.44309%
20/21
6.69791%
21/22
6.53009%
22/23
5.75645%
23/24
5.64149%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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