Ireby CofE School, Wigton
Ireby CofE School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Wigton. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2024 did not change this grade. It was 55% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Cumberland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Ireby CofE School in detail
Ireby CofE School in its own words
In its own words: "Our Christian vision has its roots in the book of Ephesians with 'Created to do Good' at its heart - for 'God calls us His workmanship or His artwork."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Ireby Church of England primary school. Established in the 1700's, the school moved to the present building in December 1881; the finance for which was put together by contributions from within the village and the surrounding district and, to this day, remains at the heart of our community, serving generations of families."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Ireby CofE School
For September 2026 entry, 5 families put Ireby CofE School as their first choice and 8 named it as one of their preferences, for 5 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Ireby CofE School are Boltons CofE School (3.4 miles, Good, 45% reading, 82% maths); St Michael's CofE Primary School (3.6 miles, Good, 78% reading, 67% maths); Blennerhasset School (4 miles, Good, 71% reading, 29% maths); and Bassenthwaite Primary School (4.4 miles, Good).
Boltons CofE SchoolSt Michael's CofE Primary SchoolBlennerhasset SchoolBassenthwaite Primary School
Who goes there
13.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 1 pupils (2.6%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school.
Staffing
Ireby CofE School had 4 teachers in 2026, one for every 8 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Ireby CofE School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Crossroads (near), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cumberland (22).
Suspensions and exclusions
Ireby CofE School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from December 2014, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its December 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
13.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
5.0
Avg class size
5.3
Infant (KS1)
4.8
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Ireby CofE School
Term dates
Ireby CofE School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Cumberland. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Wednesday 2 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Tuesday 5 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Friday 16 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Wednesday 5 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Thursday 20 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Ireby CofE School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Ireby CofE School is in Cumberland; for families living there:
- Cumberland's school travel policy: Step by step guide of the Home to School Travel Assistance Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Cumberland is 5 (the median across 179 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
Your chances of a place at Ireby CofE School
Will you get a place at Ireby CofE School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Ireby CofE School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Ireby CofE School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Ireby CofE School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Cumberland, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Ireby CofE School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Cumberland got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
55%
Available places
31 pupils
56 places
25 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Wigton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wigton
Across Cumberland council
Places available
3,537
Applications
2,352
Got 1st preference
98.2%
Got preferred school
99.7%
All primary applications across Cumberland council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
2.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
38
Total Pupils
15
Boys
23
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
9.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,101
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£10,487
Per pupil
£363k
Total funding
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.6%
Overall absence
3.8%
Persistent absence
26
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Ireby CofE School
What is Ireby CofE School's Ofsted rating?
Ireby CofE School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Ireby CofE School?
No fixed boundary. When Ireby CofE School is oversubscribed, Cumberland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Ireby CofE School?
Ireby CofE School was not full in 2025: it ran at 55% of its 56 places.
How big are the classes at Ireby CofE School?
Classes at Ireby CofE School average 5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Ireby CofE School?
Ireby CofE School has around 38 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Ireby CofE School?
3.6% of sessions were missed at Ireby CofE School in 2024/25. 3.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Ireby CofE School?
Apply through Cumberland's coordinated admissions process, naming Ireby CofE School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
What are Ireby CofE School's term dates?
Ireby CofE School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Cumberland. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Wednesday 2 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Tuesday 5 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Friday 16 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Wednesday 5 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Thursday 20 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Ireby CofE School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Cumberland is 5 (the median across 179 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Ireby CofE School?
Ireby CofE School is at Ireby, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 1DS.
Sources: Cumberland term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)