Lorton School, Cockermouth
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This small school creates a warm, caring environment where children thrive and are happy to attend. The school prioritises reading and provides targeted support to help struggling readers catch up quickly. Pupils develop strong leadership skills and engage in wonderful outdoor learning experiences, including growing their own food and overnight countryside trips.
Key Strengths
- Pupils enjoy attending and form trusting bonds with staff and each other
- Strong focus on reading with well-matched books and effective phonics teaching that helps pupils catch up quickly
- Broad and engaging curriculum that builds logically from early years through Year 6
- Pupils show excellent behaviour, politeness and take pride in leadership roles
- Range of enriching experiences including outdoor activities, growing food, and overnight countryside stays
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not always identify gaps in pupils' learning or adapt teaching to help pupils overcome these gaps in some subjects
- For a small number of pupils with SEND, curriculum delivery is not consistently adapted well enough
- School evaluation systems for checking curriculum delivery are not always used effectively, meaning some inconsistencies are not addressed quickly
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, singing events, outdoor activities, countryside overnight stays, charity fundraising
Lorton School is a small, nurturing primary school where pupils are happy and form strong relationships with staff. The school has maintained good standards since its previous inspection and continues to develop its curriculum and support for pupils with additional needs.
At a Glance
4.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
19 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 50% to 67%. Maths has remained stable at around 67%. Writing has improved from 33% to 67%.
Class Sizes
15.0
Avg class size
16.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
64%
Available places
45 pupils
70 capacity
25 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Cockermouth
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Cockermouth
Admissions Demand - Cumberland
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(3)
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.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5399%
Overall absence
10%
Persistent absence
40
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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