Trinity School, Carlisle

In its own words: "Trinity School has a long history: in 685 there was a school in Carlisle for Christians founded by St Cuthbert. It wasn’t Trinity, of course, but the plaque by the door of the Carliol building notes the tradition of learning, based on Christian teaching, which was established all those years ago."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, cricket, tennis, athletics, swimming, drama, choir, orchestra, chess and art.

In 2026, pupils at Trinity School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 40.4 in Cumberland and 47 across England.

29% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 32% in Cumberland and 47% in England.

That is down from 41.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.14: pupils made below 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 24.4, against 44.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 19.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 205 families put Trinity School as their first choice and 481 named it as one of their preferences, for 253 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 secondary schools to Trinity School are Richard Rose Central Academy (0.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.4); St John Henry Newman Catholic School (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.9); Richard Rose Morton Academy (1.9 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41.5); and Caldew School (4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.5).

Trinity School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Trinity School is run by its own single-school academy trust.

158 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Trinity School (as of September 2025): 68% would recommend the school, 77% say their child is happy there and 62% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (80%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (62%).

Of the 269 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 78% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 32% to a further education college, 9% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

Of the 188 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 48% went on to university or other higher education, 10% to apprenticeships and 31% into work. 16% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

7.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

Trinity School provides for pupils with hearing impairment.

The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 630 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).

24 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Chapel Street (stand q), 180 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Trinity School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 4th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 405 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 Cumberland (22), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Trinity School issued 356 suspensions, 21.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Trinity School are Norman Street Primary School (0.6 miles), Stanwix School (0.6 miles), Brook Street Primary School (0.7 miles) and Caldew Lea School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.