Kirkoswald CofE School, Penrith
Kirkoswald CofE School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Penrith. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 18 schools in Penrith with published results, and 6,834th of 14,452 across England. It was 56% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Westmorland and Furness (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Kirkoswald CofE School in detail
Kirkoswald CofE School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Explore, Dream, Discover - be the best you can be "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, choir and chess.
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Kirkoswald CofE School reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Westmorland and Furness and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 100% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Kirkoswald CofE School
For September 2026 entry, 6 families put Kirkoswald CofE School as their first choice and 11 named it as one of their preferences, for 6 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Kirkoswald CofE School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Kirkoswald CofE School are Lazonby C of E Primary School (1 mile, Good, 73% reading, 73% maths); Plumpton School (4.4 miles, Good, 64% reading, 64% maths); Armathwaite School (4.5 miles, Good, 80% reading, 100% maths); and Langwathby CofE Primary School (4.6 miles, Good, 81% reading, 69% maths).
Kirkoswald CofE School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Lazonby C of E Primary SchoolPlumpton SchoolArmathwaite SchoolLangwathby CofE Primary School
What parents say
47 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Kirkoswald CofE School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (98%).
Who goes there
8.3% 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, 6 pupils (12.5%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Kirkoswald CofE School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 9 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Lazonby & Kirkoswald Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Market Square (at), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 5 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences and other crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11).
Suspensions and exclusions
Kirkoswald CofE School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from February 2011, 15 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
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Kirkoswald is a welcoming school where children are encouraged to be their best and rise to high expectations. The strong phonics programme gets children reading confidently, and well-trained staff quickly support those who need extra help. Children enjoy a rich mix of clubs, trips and experiences that build their confidence and help them understand the wider world.
Key Strengths
- Strong phonics and early reading programme with well-trained staff supporting struggling readers
- High pupil behaviour and respect, with pupils taking pride in school responsibilities
- Enriched curriculum including trips, visits, clubs and external events that build confidence and independence
- Effective safeguarding arrangements and positive staff culture
- Clear identification and swift support for pupils with special educational needs
Areas for Improvement
- In some subjects and early years areas, curriculum is not clearly sequenced, making it harder for pupils to build complex knowledge
- Gaps in pupils' prior learning are not always identified, preventing new learning from building securely on what they know
- Adaptations for pupils with SEND are not consistently applied across all activities
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders maintaining a strong culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Football, art, cricket clubs, village coffee participation, pen pal writing to The Gambia, music festival singing, end-of-year play, sporting tournaments, trips to Edinburgh, transition camp, Year 3 and Year 6 biodiversity work with local landowner
Kirkoswald CofE Primary School is the heart of the community where pupils are happy, polite and well-behaved. The school has high expectations for achievement and pupils leave well-prepared for secondary school.
At a Glance
8.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
47 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 100% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 83% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 92% to 78% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
12.5
Avg class size
11.0
KS2
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Kirkoswald CofE School
Term dates
Kirkoswald CofE School is a voluntary controlled 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
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Kirkoswald CofE School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Kirkoswald CofE 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 Kirkoswald CofE School
Will you get a place at Kirkoswald CofE School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Kirkoswald CofE School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Kirkoswald CofE School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Kirkoswald CofE 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 Kirkoswald CofE 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
56%
Available places
47 pupils
84 places
37 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Penrith
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Penrith
Across Westmorland and Furness council
Places available
2,590
Applications
1,692
Got 1st preference
96.1%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across Westmorland and Furness council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
6
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
12.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
48
Total Pupils
27
Boys
21
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
9.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£39,283
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£9,502
Per pupil
£485k
Total funding
£6k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
2.9%
Overall absence
2.3%
Persistent absence
43
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Kirkoswald CofE School
What are SATs results like at Kirkoswald CofE School?
Of the pupils at Kirkoswald CofE School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 78% did so in maths.
What is Kirkoswald CofE School's Ofsted rating?
Kirkoswald CofE School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Kirkoswald CofE School?
No fixed boundary. When Kirkoswald CofE 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 Kirkoswald CofE School?
Kirkoswald CofE School was not full in 2025: it ran at 56% of its 84 places.
How big are the classes at Kirkoswald CofE School?
Classes at Kirkoswald CofE School average 12.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Kirkoswald CofE School?
Kirkoswald CofE School has around 48 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Kirkoswald CofE School?
2.9% of sessions were missed at Kirkoswald CofE School in 2024/25. 2.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Kirkoswald CofE School?
Apply through Westmorland and Furness's coordinated admissions process, naming Kirkoswald 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 Kirkoswald CofE School's term dates?
Kirkoswald CofE School is a voluntary controlled 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 Kirkoswald CofE School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Kirkoswald CofE School?
Kirkoswald CofE School is at Kirkoswald, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 1EN.
Sources: Westmorland and Furness term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)