Walney Academy, Barrow-in-Furness
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The school has recently made positive changes under new leadership, with a broader curriculum and higher expectations for pupils. Pupils benefit from a variety of clubs, sports, and activities including a ski trip, plus good support to develop leadership skills. Most pupils feel safe and enjoy school, with effective careers guidance to help them prepare for life after school.
Key Strengths
- New leadership has quickly identified problems and is implementing positive changes to raise expectations
- Pupils feel safe at school and most enjoy learning with positive attitudes
- School provides a variety of enrichment activities and supports pupils to develop leadership skills
- New, broader and more ambitious curriculum is beginning to have positive impact in some subjects
- Careers advice and guidance programme is well-designed with good external speaker involvement
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching quality is inconsistent - teachers do not always check understanding well enough or correct misconceptions quickly
- Work given to pupils is sometimes not matched to their ability - either too simple or not demanding enough
- Support for pupils with SEND is not used consistently well in classrooms
- Reading support programme lacks precision and does not help struggling readers catch up quickly enough
- Attendance rates are high for some pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged or have SEND
- Behaviour policy is not consistently followed by all staff
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, ski trip, school production, charity ambassador roles, careers leader roles, sports leader roles
Walney School is a secondary school that requires improvement across all areas. Recent leadership changes and a move to a new trust are beginning to address longstanding weaknesses, but significant variability in teaching quality means some pupils are not learning as well as they should.
At a Glance
27.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
79 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
24.3
Avg class size
20
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
52%
Available places
468 pupils
900 capacity
432 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Barrow-in-Furness
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Barrow-in-Furness
Admissions Demand - Westmorland and Furness
Places available
2,864
Applications
1,955
Got 1st preference
96.7%
Got preferred school
99.7%
Secondary admissions across Westmorland and Furness (2025/26)
Inspection History(6)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.2962%
Overall absence
26.4432%
Persistent absence
537
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Walney Academy
St Columba's School
South Walney Infant and Nursery School
South Walney Junior School
Vickerstown School
Barrow Island Community Primary School
Brisbane Park Infant School
St James' CofE Junior School
St George's CofE School
Ramsden Infant School
Greengate Junior School
Showing 10 of 11 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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