Silloth Primary School, Wigton
Silloth Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Wigton. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 4 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Before that it was rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in June 2017. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 9th-highest of the 14 schools in Wigton with published results, and 12,633rd of 14,452 across England. It was 76% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted report card
- 3 areas need attention
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Cumberland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Silloth Primary School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 30 June 2026 inspection grades Silloth Primary School on 7 areas: 4 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils attend school regularly and arrive on time."
Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise the early years."
Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure inclusion is a whole-school priority."
Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have developed a coherent and thoughtful programme for pupils' personal development."
Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' achievement is not secure in some key areas."
Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "There are inconsistencies in how staff teach the curriculum across the school."
Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Although leaders have identified the right priorities, improvements in some curriculum areas are not happening quickly enough."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should support staff to refine their practice so that pedagogical choices are effective in improving pupils' achievement across the curriculum and in published outcomes"; "Leaders should ensure staff identify and address gaps in essential knowledge, ensuring what pupils know is secure before moving on to new learning"; "Leaders, including governors, should refine monitoring systems so they gain an accurate picture of provision and address any shortfalls swiftly".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Silloth Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are a caring, inclusive and nurturing school community where every child matters and where children always come first. From the moment children join us, they become part of our school family-a place where they are valued, supported and encouraged to be the very best version of themselves."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 54% of Year 6 pupils at Silloth Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 69% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 70% in Cumberland and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 65% in reading and 74% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Silloth Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 15 families put Silloth Primary School as their first choice and 17 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 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 Silloth Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Silloth Primary School are Holm Cultram Abbey CofE Primary School (4.2 miles, Good, 70% reading, 30% maths); and Holme St Cuthbert School (4.3 miles, Good, 43% reading, 43% maths).
Holm Cultram Abbey CofE Primary SchoolHolme St Cuthbert School
Who goes there
2.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 23 pupils (12.4%) received SEN support and 5 (2.7%) 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.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Silloth Primary School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fire Station (opposite), 170 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Silloth Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Early yearsExpected standard
- InclusionExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- AchievementNeeds attention
- Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
- Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Silloth Primary School
Pupils enjoy coming to this school and feel part of a close school family where children come first. Pupils are greeted warmly each day. They move around the school with courtesy for others. Pupils trust staff to listen if they have worries. They are confident that any unkind behaviour will be dealt with fairly. Lunchtimes are calm and sociable. Pupils enjoy their learning. Their daily experience reflects the school's values. 'Respect' shapes how they treat others. 'Creativity' is seen in the skilled artwork displayed across the school. 'Ambition' helps them think about future careers and the steps needed to reach their goals. Pupils describe the school as a supportive place where they feel encouraged to do their best. They understand how to keep themselves and each other safe. Some pupils experience differences in learning between classes. They find handwriting, spelling or number work difficult. Pupils do not always benefit from consistent messages about how to improve these basic skills. Some pupils experience lessons that move on to new learning before they are ready. This reflects some recent improvements made to teaching which are taking time to embed. Pupils with additional needs benefit from well-matched support. This includes access to spaces such as 'the rainbow room' and 'the workshop'. Work here helps pupils to regulate, practise key skills and learn how to work effectively with others in smaller groups. Children in the early years enjoy a calm and nurturing start to their education. They cooperate well with each other and follow established routines. Outdoors, they explore the garden and dens, and indoors they enjoy quiet areas where they enjoy reading with staff. These experiences help them to build confidence, independence and early learning skills. Regular visits to secondary schools help older pupils feel confident about moving on to the next stage of their education. Pupils enjoy a wide range of trips, clubs and responsibilities. They take part in fundraising, environmental projects and leadership roles. These opportunities help pupils develop confidence, ambition and pride in contributing to their community.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should support staff to refine their practice so that pedagogical choices are effective in improving pupils' achievement across the curriculum and in published outcomes.
- Leaders should ensure staff identify and address gaps in essential knowledge, ensuring what pupils know is secure before moving on to new learning.
- Leaders, including governors, should refine monitoring systems so they gain an accurate picture of provision and address any shortfalls swiftly.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 30 June 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Silloth Primary School is a caring community where your child will feel safe, valued and happy. Staff are warm and supportive, with a strong focus on wellbeing and inclusion ensuring every pupil can access learning and participate fully in school life. The school offers a rich range of experiences including sports clubs, music, drama and trips that help children build confidence and discover new interests.
Key Strengths
- Strong safeguarding culture with effective pastoral support and emotional wellbeing provision
- Excellent attendance and behaviour across school, with persistent absence now below national averages
- Highly inclusive approach with tailored support for pupils with additional needs
- Well-developed personal development programme with enriching experiences
- Effective early years provision with calm, nurturing environment
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils not securing basic knowledge in handwriting, spelling, grammar and number facts
- Reading and writing outcomes have declined recently and need to improve
- Teaching approaches are inconsistent across school, with some classes not checking secure prior learning before moving forward
- Pupils sometimes struggle to remember prior learning across subjects
- Mathematics attainment and progress are inconsistent
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, music tuition, drama, science activities, visits from local emergency services, faith groups and storytellers, school and eco council, choir recitals, fundraising activities
Silloth Primary School is a welcoming school where pupils feel safe and enjoy a supportive community. However, recent declines in reading and writing outcomes, along with inconsistencies in how the curriculum is taught, mean the school needs to strengthen pupils' progress in key academic areas.
At a Glance
18.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 65% to 54% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 74% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 70% to 62% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
20.6
Avg class size
23.0
Infant (KS1)
22.0
KS2
9
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby primary schools
Latest from Silloth Primary School
Newsletter 2.10.26
2 Oct 2026
Newsletter 19.9.26
27 Sep 2026
Newsletter 27.9.26
27 Sep 2026
Newsletter 11.9.26
11 Sep 2026
Newsletter 4.9.26
4 Sep 2026
Newsletter 27.8.26
27 Aug 2026
From Silloth Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Silloth Primary School
Term dates
Silloth Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Cumberland. 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 Silloth Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Silloth Primary School is in Cumberland; for families living there:
- Cumberland's school travel policy: Step by step guide of the Home to School Travel Assistance Policy
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 Cumberland is 5 (the median across 179 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 Silloth Primary School
Will you get a place at Silloth Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Silloth Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Silloth Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Silloth Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Cumberland, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Silloth Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Cumberland 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
76%
Available places
149 pupils
196 places
47 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Wigton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wigton
Across Cumberland council
Places available
3,537
Applications
2,352
Got 1st preference
98.2%
Got preferred school
99.7%
All primary applications across Cumberland council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(10)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
23
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
15.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
185
Total Pupils
105
Boys
80
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
23.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,527
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,727
Per pupil
£921k
Total funding
£38k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.4%
Overall absence
14.0%
Persistent absence
129
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Silloth Primary School
Questions parents ask about Silloth Primary School
What are SATs results like at Silloth Primary School?
Of the pupils at Silloth Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 54% reached the expected standard in reading and 69% did so in maths.
What is Silloth Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Silloth Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Silloth Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Silloth Primary School is oversubscribed, Cumberland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Silloth Primary School?
Silloth Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 76% of its 196 places.
How big are the classes at Silloth Primary School?
Classes at Silloth Primary School average 20.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Silloth Primary School?
Silloth Primary School has around 185 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Silloth Primary School?
5.4% of sessions were missed at Silloth Primary School in 2024/25. 14% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Silloth Primary School?
Apply through Cumberland's coordinated admissions process, naming Silloth Primary 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 Silloth Primary School's term dates?
Silloth Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Cumberland. 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 Silloth Primary 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 Cumberland is 5 (the median across 179 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Silloth Primary School?
Silloth Primary School is at Liddel Street, Silloth, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 4DR.
Sources: Cumberland term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)