Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness, Dalton-in-Furness

Ofsted's report card from its 14 April 2026 inspection grades Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness on 7 areas: 4 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Pupils enjoy school and want to be here."

Early years - Strong standard. "Children in the early years quickly settle into the routines of school life."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders use highly effective systems to quickly identify any additional needs that pupils may have."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have established a highly effective programme for personal development."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils who join the school in the early years achieve well by the end of Year 6 and are generally ready for the next stage in their education."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that helps pupils to learn well in all subjects."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have a thorough understanding of the community that the school serves."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that the recent refinements made to the curriculum are consistently embedded across the school so that pupils learn and achieve equally well in all subjects"; "Leaders should support staff to ensure that adaptations to learning are appropriate and highly effective in supporting pupils to learn well".

From the headteacher's welcome: "'Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School is a beacon of love, joy, calmness and hope.' Catholic Schools Inspectorate, May 2024 Our Lady's is a small nursery and primary school in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria with 100 pupils currently on roll. We are a very welcoming school and strive to ensure that Gospel Values permeate daily life and our school curriculum."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, gymnastics, guitar, Lego and sewing.

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care, from £3.00 per session.

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness 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 rose from 73% in reading and 73% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 14 families put Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness as their first choice and 30 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness are Chapel Street Infants and Nursery School (0.3 miles, Good); George Romney Junior School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 87% reading, 87% maths); Dalton St Mary's CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 80% reading, 80% maths); and Lindal and Marton Primary School (1.4 miles, 55% reading, 27% maths).

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness is one of 16 schools run by Mater Christi Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.

4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 9 pupils (8.9%) received SEN support and 11 (10.9%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 800 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Our Lady's Primary School (at), 70 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 54 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, vehicle crime and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11), as is usual near a town centre.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-In-Furness recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.