Dowdales School, Dalton-in-Furness

In its own words: "We are a proud, thriving, ambitious community. We maintain the proud traditions of everything ‘Dowdalian’. We are a school judged Ofsted ‘GOOD’ in all areas. July 2019. Students and staff are proud to be part of the Dowdales community, proud of a community that has been recognised as ‘close knit’ where ‘pupils are well known and well cared for’."

In 2026, pupils at Dowdales School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.8 in Westmorland and Furness and 47 across England.

35% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 41% in Westmorland and Furness and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 41.8.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.29: 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 29.2, against 43.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 153 families put Dowdales School as their first choice and 360 named it as one of their preferences, for 160 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 secondary schools to Dowdales School are Chetwynde School (2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.5); St Bernards Catholic High School, Barrow (2.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.5); Furness Academy (3.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.8); and Ulverston Victoria High School (4.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.3).

Dowdales School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

117 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Dowdales School (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 73% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (73%).

Of the 180 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 69% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 58% to a further education college, 21% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

2.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 229 pupils (26.1%) received SEN support and 56 (6.4%) 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.

Dowdales School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and moderate learning difficulties: 6 places, 6 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 640 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).

1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barrow Road (outside), 330 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 58 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, vehicle crime 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.

In 2024/25, Dowdales School issued 68 suspensions, 8.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Dowdales School are George Romney Junior School (0.2 miles); Chapel Street Infants and Nursery School (0.2 miles); Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness (0.6 miles); and Dalton St Mary's CofE Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.