The Queen Katherine School, Kendal

Ofsted's report card from its 6 May 2026 inspection grades The Queen Katherine School on 7 areas: 5 strong standard and 2 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. "Leaders and staff consistently promote the importance of attendance."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "The school's ethos and vision are firmly rooted in inclusion."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders at all levels make decisions in the best interests of pupils."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Developing pupils' character, personal values and broadening their horizons is at the heart of the school."

Post 16 provision - Strong standard. "The school offers students a range of academic and vocational courses that support their future career goals."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils typically build their knowledge effectively across the curriculum."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have a precise understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment techniques effectively in order to identify and address gaps and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge, including any gaps that pupils have in their basic reading, spelling, punctuation and handwriting skills".

In 2026, pupils at The Queen Katherine School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.8 in Westmorland and Furness and 47 across England.

44% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 41% in Westmorland and Furness and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 48.8.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.08: pupils made about 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 37.1, against 52.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 119 families put The Queen Katherine School as their first choice and 254 named it as one of their preferences, for 124 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.

The Queen Katherine School is one of 17 schools run by Cumbria Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.2 in 2024/25.

Of the 160 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 49% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 76 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 32% went on to university or other higher education, 11% to apprenticeships and 41% into work. 32% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

15.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The Queen Katherine School has a resourced provision for physical disability.

The nearest railway station is Kendal Rail Station, about 860 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Queen Katherine School (outside), 100 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 119 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Queen Katherine School issued 113 suspensions, 12.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Queen Katherine School are St Thomas's CofE Primary School (0.7 miles), Stramongate Primary School (0.8 miles), Castle Park School (0.9 miles) and Ghyllside Primary School (1.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.