St Matthew's CofE School, Wigton
St Matthew's CofE School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Wigton. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 14 schools in Wigton with published results, and 6,591st of 14,452 across England. It was 82% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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
St Matthew's CofE School in detail
St Matthew's CofE School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are a small rural school in Westnewton, located not far from the edge of the Lake District National Park. Being a small school, we thrive on the happy, family and community feel we have nurtured and we hope you feel the same way when you visit!"
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at St Matthew's CofE School reached the expected standard in reading and 71% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 70% in Cumberland and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 88% in reading and 100% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Matthew's CofE School
For September 2026 entry, 8 families put St Matthew's CofE School as their first choice and 10 named it as one of their preferences, for 8 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 St Matthew's CofE School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Matthew's CofE School are Richmond Hill School (1.6 miles, Good, 66% reading, 79% maths); Oughterside Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 67% reading, 78% maths); Holme St Cuthbert School (2.6 miles, Good, 43% reading, 43% maths); and Blennerhasset School (3.1 miles, Good, 71% reading, 29% maths).
St Matthew's CofE School's 2025 results were higher than all 2 of them.
Richmond Hill SchoolOughterside Primary SchoolHolme St Cuthbert SchoolBlennerhasset School
Who goes there
5.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 7 pupils (13.7%) received SEN support and 1 (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.
Staffing
St Matthew's CofE School had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 8 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Village Green (on), 160 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Matthew's CofE School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
5.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 100% to 71% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 75% to 71% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.0
Avg class size
1
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Matthew's CofE School
Newsletter - 1st October 2026
1 Oct 2026
Newsletter - 24th September 2026
24 Sep 2026
Newsletter - 17th September 2026
17 Sep 2026
Newsletter - 10th September 2026
10 Sep 2026
Newsletter - 3rd September 2026
3 Sep 2026
Newsletter - 16th July 2026
16 Jul 2026
From St Matthew's CofE School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Matthew's CofE School
Term dates
St Matthew's CofE School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Cumberland's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Matthew's CofE School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Matthew's CofE 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)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
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 St Matthew's CofE School
Will you get a place at St Matthew's CofE School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Matthew's CofE School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Matthew's CofE School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Matthew's CofE School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Cumberland, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Matthew's CofE 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
82%
Available places
46 pupils
56 places
10 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(11)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
7
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
15.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
51
Total Pupils
30
Boys
21
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
8.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,277
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,772
Per pupil
£428k
Total funding
£3k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.0%
Overall absence
9.3%
Persistent absence
43
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
St Matthew's CofE School
Questions parents ask about St Matthew's CofE School
What are SATs results like at St Matthew's CofE School?
Of the pupils at St Matthew's CofE School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 71% did so in maths.
What is St Matthew's CofE School's Ofsted rating?
St Matthew's CofE School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023.
What is the catchment area for St Matthew's CofE School?
No fixed boundary. When St Matthew's CofE 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 St Matthew's CofE School?
St Matthew's CofE School was not full in 2025: it ran at 82% of its 56 places.
How big are the classes at St Matthew's CofE School?
Classes at St Matthew's CofE School average 23 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Matthew's CofE School?
St Matthew's CofE School has around 51 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Matthew's CofE School?
3% of sessions were missed at St Matthew's CofE School in 2024/25. 9.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Matthew's CofE School?
Apply through Cumberland's coordinated admissions process, naming St Matthew's CofE 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.
How many road collisions happen near St Matthew's CofE School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Cumberland is 5 (the median across 179 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Matthew's CofE School?
St Matthew's CofE School is at Westnewton, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 3NT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)