John Ruskin School, Coniston
John Ruskin School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Coniston. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 8th-highest of the 20 schools in Westmorland and Furness with published results, and 1,626th of 3,298 across England. It was 91% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Well above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Westmorland and Furness (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
John Ruskin School in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at John Ruskin School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.8 in Westmorland and Furness and 47 across England.
38% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 41% in Westmorland and Furness and 47% in England.
That is down from 52.9 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.5: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 17 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.
Getting a place at John Ruskin School
For September 2026 entry, 52 families put John Ruskin School as their first choice and 87 named it as one of their preferences, for 46 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
What parents say
53 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about John Ruskin School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (83%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 49 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 69% to a further education college and 16% to an apprenticeship.
Who goes there
11.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 102 pupils (41.3%) received SEN support and 30 (12.1%) 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.
John Ruskin School has a resourced provision for other difficulties or disabilities: 6 places, 6 pupils on roll.
Staffing
John Ruskin School had 27 teachers in 2026, one for every 9 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of John Ruskin School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is John Ruskin School (outside), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 6 crimes within a mile of the school, most often public order offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, John Ruskin School issued 11 suspensions, 4.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
John Ruskin School excels at creating an aspirational, high-performance environment where every pupil is valued and supported to achieve their best. Teachers use strong subject knowledge to identify gaps in learning and provide expert, personalised support - particularly for pupils with SEND. Beyond academics, the school develops well-rounded young people through a wealth of activities, outdoor experiences, and careers guidance that prepare them for meaningful futures in further education, apprenticeships or employment.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve exceptionally well with high expectations and strong subject knowledge teaching
- Excellent behaviour and attitudes to learning, with pupils acting as positive ambassadors
- Comprehensive support for pupils with SEND, enabling them to succeed
- Strong focus on reading and communication skills development
- Extensive enrichment opportunities including Duke of Edinburgh, performances, sports, and trips
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Duke of Edinburgh programme, music, sports, arts and crafts, school performances, educational visits including overnight stays and trips to Europe
John Ruskin School is a secondary comprehensive school where pupils demonstrate exemplary behaviour and achieve exceptionally well across all areas. The school has significantly improved since its last graded inspection in 2019, with evidence suggesting continued strong performance across teaching, curriculum design, and pupil support.
About
John Ruskin School (JRS) is an 11–16 school on Lake Road in Coniston, Cumbria. The school is part of the Rural Academy, a group of nine small schools in Cumbria which was awarded Technology College status in 2004, and a member of the South Lakes Federation of Schools.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
11.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Other
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
53 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has remained stable at around 0.50 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 51.6 to 46.0 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 31% to 38% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 46.0 | 37.5% |
| Boys(24) | - | 49.4 | 45.8% |
| Girls(24) | - | 42.6 | 29.2% |
Show more breakdowns (1)
| Non mobile(47) | - | 46.5 | 38.3% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 49 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
11
Suspensions
4.55%
Suspension rate
10 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 242 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Keep up with John Ruskin School
Term dates
John Ruskin School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Westmorland and Furness. 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
Ferry Terminals
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to John Ruskin School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. John Ruskin School is in Westmorland and Furness; for families living there:
- Westmorland and Furness's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy 2027 to 2028 (Reception to Year 11)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 1
- 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: 1 fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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
Your chances of a place at John Ruskin School
Will you get a place at John Ruskin School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against John Ruskin School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for John Ruskin School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to John Ruskin School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Westmorland and Furness, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at John Ruskin School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Westmorland and Furness 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
91%
Near capacity
244 pupils
268 places
24 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Coniston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Coniston
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.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(11)
Ungraded inspection: The school has improved significantly.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
102
SEN Support
30
EHC Plans
53.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
John Ruskin School has a resourced provision for other difficulties or disabilities: 6 places, 6 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
247
Total Pupils
133
Boys
114
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
27
Teachers
9.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,834
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,945
Per pupil
£1991k
Total funding
£30k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.7%
Overall absence
12.7%
Persistent absence
245
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
John Ruskin School
Questions parents ask about John Ruskin School
What are GCSE results like at John Ruskin School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at John Ruskin School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 46. 38% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is John Ruskin School's Ofsted rating?
John Ruskin School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for John Ruskin School?
No fixed boundary. When John Ruskin School is oversubscribed, Westmorland and Furness allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at John Ruskin School?
John Ruskin School was not full in 2025: it ran at 91% of its 268 places.
How big are the classes at John Ruskin School?
Classes at John Ruskin School average 24.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to John Ruskin School?
John Ruskin School has around 247 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
Does John Ruskin School have specialist SEN provision?
John Ruskin School has a resourced provision for other difficulties or disabilities: 6 places, 6 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at John Ruskin School?
5.7% of sessions were missed at John Ruskin School in 2024/25. 12.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to John Ruskin School?
Apply through Westmorland and Furness's coordinated admissions process, naming John Ruskin School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
What are John Ruskin School's term dates?
John Ruskin School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Westmorland and Furness. 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 John Ruskin School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 John Ruskin School?
John Ruskin School is at Lake Road, Coniston, Cumbria, LA21 8EW.
Sources: Westmorland and Furness term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)