Scotby CofE Primary School, Carlisle

Ofsted's report card from its 23 June 2026 inspection grades Scotby CofE Primary School on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

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

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have high expectations for attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed an ambitious early years curriculum."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly and accurately."

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

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a programme that comprehensively supports pupils' personal development."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should make sure that teachers consistently help pupils to develop accuracy in handwriting, spelling and grammar so that pupils who are at the early stages of writing can write fluently"; "Leaders should develop their collective oversight of the early years so that leaders, at all levels, can help adults in the early years to design interactions and activities that help children to secure the knowledge set out in the early years curriculum"; "Leaders should make sure that teachers develop their confidence in teaching subject content so that their explanations are consistently detailed across subjects".

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are proud of our inclusive school and the achievements of our pupils. Our caring, Christian environment, enables all children to become happy, confident, enthusiastic learners. They attain high standards and make good progress in all areas of learning. Hopefully, it will enable you to capture a sense of the values that underpin all that we seek to achieve."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, athletics, gymnastics, choir, guitar, recorder, cooking and sewing.

In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils at Scotby CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 88% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 70% in Cumberland and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (77% in reading, 97% in maths).

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

For September 2026 entry, 26 families put Scotby CofE Primary School as their first choice and 64 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 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 Scotby CofE Primary School are Pennine Way Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 67% reading, 68% maths); St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle (1 mile, 80% reading, 75% maths); Inglewood Junior School (1.2 miles, Good, 62% reading, 66% maths); and Inglewood Infant School (1.3 miles, Good).

Scotby CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.

7.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 49 pupils (22.8%) received SEN support and 9 (4.2%) 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.

Scotby CofE Primary School had 16 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Wetheral Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is School (outside), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Scotby CofE Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 61 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cumberland (22), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Scotby CofE Primary School issued 9 suspensions, 3.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.