Millom School, Millom

Ofsted's report card from its 23 June 2026 inspection grades Millom School on 7 areas: 1 strong standard, 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have established a school where every pupil is known, included and valued."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well across the curriculum."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have taken positive action to improve pupils' attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum that reflects the pupils' needs and the community in which they live."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a coherent programme to support pupils' personal development."

Post-16 provision - Needs attention. "Students in the post-16 provision do not achieve as well as they should."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers' checks on learning consistently identify and address gaps in pupils' learning so that they can build their knowledge securely over time"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers use appropriate learning activities to deepen students' knowledge in the post-16 provision so that they achieve well"; "Leaders should continue to improve attendance for all pupils, and especially for those disadvantaged pupils who are regularly absent".

Coming up: an open evening on Tuesday 10 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Millom School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 40.4 in Cumberland and 47 across England.

38% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 32% in Cumberland and 47% in England.

That is down from 44.9 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.28: 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 32.4, against 45.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Design and Technology and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 82 families put Millom School as their first choice and 100 named it as one of their preferences, for 87 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

Of the 90 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 56% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 37% to a further education college and 36% to an apprenticeship.

Of the 22 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 18% went on to university or other higher education, 36% to apprenticeships and 23% into work. 8% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

2.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 25 pupils (5.3%) received SEN support and 22 (4.6%) 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 autism.

Millom School had 38 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 210 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is School (at), 80 metres away.

In 2024/25, Millom School issued 107 suspensions, 22.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Millom School are St James' Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles), Millom Infant School (0.4 miles), Black Combe Junior School (0.5 miles) and Haverigg Primary School (1.3 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.