In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were close to England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Schools and nurseries213121 primary · 19 secondary · 55 nurseries
Primaries Good or better99%England 96%
Met the standard at 1158%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths42%Attainment 8 44.9, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary15%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school16%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Westmorland and Furness
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council's area. Independent schools take applications directly.
About Westmorland and Furness
Westmorland and Furness is a unitary authority in the North West with 121 mainstream primary schools and 19 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal and Penrith. It has 1 grammar school, which chooses pupils by a test. Most families get the secondary school they want: 96.4% got their first choice, against 83.6% across England. The council still runs or maintains most state schools here: only 31% are academies or free schools.
Good to know in Westmorland and Furness
Term dates can vary slightly between schools, so check with your child's school. Source
The council's young person's bus pass is called the A2B NowCard. Source
From September 2027 Westmorland and Furness home to school transport will cover the nearest suitable school only. Source
Children in Year 2 at an infant school in Westmorland and Furness transfer to a junior or primary school and the family must apply to the council. Source
From Westmorland and Furness council's website, checked 7 November 2026. Check the council's pages before you apply.
If a date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day.
96.1%got their first-choice primary school in Westmorland and Furness in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 21 of 151 councils. 99.4% got one of their top three.0.5% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
96.4%got their first-choice secondary school in Westmorland and Furness in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 4 of 151 councils. 99.5% got one of their top three.3.8% were offered a secondary school in another council. England: 8.0%.
Source: DfE applications and offers, 2026. A low rate shows high demand, not poor schools.
0 of 5 primary appeals heard in Westmorland and Furness succeeded in 2025. 17 of 33 secondary appeals heard in Westmorland and Furness succeeded in 2025.
For schools that follow the council's dates. Academies, faith and foundation schools can set their own, and schools add training days. Source, checked 6 November 2026.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up Westmorland and Furness
Westmorland and FurnessEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 81 primaries with one.
99%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
12 of the 12 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
58%
England 62%
Below England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
42%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
16%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
15%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 102 schools that have one.
99%
Good or Outstanding
Each square is 1% of schools.
Outstanding6
Good95
Requires improvement0
Inadequate1
How it has changed
Westmorland and Furness in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1158% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths42% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school16% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
The figures in full
The latest published year for each measure. Sources and years are on our data sources page.
Measure
Westmorland and Furness
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
99%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
58%
62%
Attainment 8
44.9
46.2
Persistent absence
16%
18%
Pupils per teacher
16.6:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£8,525
£8,120
In education or work after 16
94%
91%
Went on to higher education
40%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
21%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
5%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
16%
27%
DfE local authority code 943, ONS code E06000064.
Living here
What it's like for families
Westmorland and Furness has 213 schools and nurseries across 7 towns and villages, the biggest being Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal, Penrith and Ulverston.
Pupil numbers are about the same as in 2018.
15% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Westmorland and Furness's state schools each January.
30.3k2018
30.7k2019
30.7k2021
30.8k2022
31.1k2023
30.9k2024
30.6k2025
29.9k2026
Down 1% since 2018.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Westmorland and Furness15%
Keep up with schools in Westmorland and Furness
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Questions parents ask about Westmorland and Furness
How many schools are in Westmorland and Furness?+
Westmorland and Furness has 213 schools, including 136 primary schools, 33 secondary schools, 55 nurseries, 13 independent schools, 11 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Westmorland and Furness?+
The highest-ranked schools in Westmorland and Furness on Eduscope are Yarlside Academy, Yanwath Primary School, Morland Area CofE Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Westmorland and Furness are rated Good or Outstanding?+
99% of inspected schools in Westmorland and Furness hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 6 schools rated Outstanding and 95 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Westmorland and Furness perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Westmorland and Furness, 58% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Westmorland and Furness?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Westmorland and Furness is 16.6:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Westmorland and Furness schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Westmorland and Furness is 15.6%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Westmorland and Furness?+
There are 29,937 pupils enrolled across schools in Westmorland and Furness, with 15,514 in primary and 14,226 in secondary. 15.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Westmorland and Furness?+
There are 13 independent schools in Westmorland and Furness. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Westmorland and Furness on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Westmorland and Furness?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 213 schools in Westmorland and Furness by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
