Longtown Primary School

Ofsted: Good · May 2019
Ages 3 to 11
Carlisle CA6
182 pupils

In short: a primary academy with a nursery. Ofsted rated it Good, but that was in 2019. Recent results are above average, and attendance is close to average.

Young children sitting together at a classroom table

A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Eduscope rank score

How it ranks in England

A score out of 100 against schools of the same phase, from Ofsted, results and attendance.

Met the standard at 11Middle
Ahead of about 54% of primary schools.
Ofsted, against other schoolsMiddle
Ahead of about 46% of primary schools.
AttendanceMiddle
Ahead of about 42% of primary schools.
Higher standard at 11Low
Ahead of about 36% of primary schools.
Reading and maths scoresLow
Ahead of about 38% of primary schools.

DfE and Ofsted dataHow we work this out

Good to know

Good in all 5 areas at its last graded inspection.
Results above average. 68% met the standard. England: 62%.
Nursery from 3, so younger brothers and sisters can start early.

Worth checking

Old grade. The Good rating is from 2019, before Covid.

Check my chances

OfstedGoodMay 2019, 7 years ago
Met the standard at 1168%Cumberland 56% · England 62%
Reception, 202630 of 30first choices got a place
Free school meals23%Cumberland 20%
Pupils182Room for 189, plus 27 in nursery
Days missed4.9%About 9 days a year

Then and now

Good in 2019. What's changed since?

Ofsted rated the school Inadequate in 2016. 3 years later it was Good. Since then it has had a shorter, ungraded visit, so there's no new grade.

Every Ofsted visit

Ofsted inspects every state school every few years. Choose a year to see what they found.

Rated Inadequate in 2016, then Good at the next inspection in 2019.

Became an academy in September 2016. Earlier inspections are of Longtown Primary School.

What Ofsted found in May 2019

SafeguardingEffective
Personal developmentGood
LeadershipGood
Quality of teachingGood
Results for pupilsGood
Early yearsGood

Read the 2019 report on Ofsted

Earlier visits

9 Jan 2012Satisfactory
3 Feb 2009Satisfactory
27 Nov 2007Inadequate

A teacher helping a group of children working at their tables

2018-19 vs now

How the school compares now with 2018-19
Measure	2018-19	Now
Ofsted grade	Good	No new grade
Met the standard at 11	78%	68%
Pupils	193	182

Miss Anna Carroll, head. Part of Cumbria Education Trust.

The four grades, in plain English

Outstanding: Much better than the minimum.
Good: Meets every standard well.
Requires improvement: Not yet good. Ofsted will be back soon.
Inadequate: Serious problems that must be fixed.

Results

How children do by age 11

At the end of Year 6, children take national tests (called SATs) in reading, writing and maths. Latest results: summer 2025.

About 7 in 10 children met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths

Expected standard means a child is ready for secondary school work in all three subjects. 2025 tests.

68 out of every 100 Year 6 children

Longtown68%

Cumberland56%

England62%

31 pupils took these tests in 2025, so one child is about 3 percentage points.

Against 3,290 primary schools with a similar share of children on free school meals (18% to 28%), it's ahead of about 60% on the expected standard over recent years.

Test scores, 2025

100 means the child met the standard. The highest possible is 120.

Reading106

England106

Maths105

England105

Grammar and spelling: 81% met the standard (England 73%).

Every result, year by yearEach England row is the figure for the same year.

	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
Pupils tested	31	24	27	–	–	–	18	28
Met the expected standard	68%	50%	70%	–	–	–	78%	57%
England	62%	61%	60%				65%	64%
Higher standard	3%	8%	4%	–	–	–	0%	4%
England	8%	8%	8%				11%	10%
Reading score	106	104	104	–	–	–	104	103
England	106	105	105				104	105
Maths score	105	103	102	–	–	–	104	103
England	105	104	104				105	104
Grammar and spelling	81%	92%	74%	–	–	–	83%	68%
England	73%	72%	72%				78%	78%
Disadvantaged pupils	9	4	12	–	–	–	4	10
Disadvantaged, expected standard	44%	–	58%	–	–	–	–	50%
England	47%		44%					51%
Other pupils, expected standard	77%	–	80%	–	–	–	–	61%
England	69%		66%					70%
Reading progress	–	–	-2.5	–	–	–	-0.4	0
Writing progress	–	–	+0.1	–	–	–	-0.8	-1.1
Maths progress	–	–	-3.6	–	–	–	-1	+0.6

The expected standard is the level the government expects at the end of Year 6, in reading, writing and maths together. The higher standard is well above it. Scores run from 80 to 120, and 100 meets the expected standard.

Disadvantaged pupils are those on free school meals in the last 6 years, or in care. Each group's England row is the same group across England. Small groups swing a lot from year to year, and a dash means DfE published no figure, often to protect small groups.

Progress compares children with others who started from the same point, and 0 is average. There are no scores after 2023, because the Year 2 tests they're measured from were cancelled in Covid.

Source: DfE, Find school and college performance data.

There were no national tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid. Tests came back in 2022, but DfE didn't publish school results for that year.

Longtown among primary schools in Cumberland

Each dot is one school, placed by the share of children meeting the expected standard.

Longtown is higher than 79 of 111 other Cumberland state primary schools in 2025.

Getting in

Could your child get a place?

In 2026 every family who put Longtown first got a place.

36 families applied and 34 were offered Reception places

Families list several schools, so this counts every family who listed it, not only those who put it first. 30 families put it first, and all of them got a place.

● 34 places: each figure is about 10

Over the last 3 rounds, 76 of 76 families who put it first got a place (100%). In 2026, 4 of the 34 places went to families who put it lower or didn't list it, because they came first under the admissions rules. Room for 189 suggests about 27 places a year. The exact number is in the school's admissions policy.

Demand has nearly doubled in 12 years

Applications each year. The black line is how many places were offered. Places grew too, from 20 to 34. Applications rose from 30 in 2025 to 36.

ApplicationsPlaces offered

Who gets a place first

When there are more children than places, most schools give places in an order like this. Check the school's own policy.

1Children in care, or who used to be
2Children with a brother or sister already at the school
3Everyone else, closest first

Good to know: a place in the nursery doesn't guarantee a Reception place. You still need to apply.

How close do you need to live? Ask the council for Cumberland for the last distance offered. Many councils publish it each year, but there's no national file, so we don't hold it.

If you don't get a place: you can appeal. In Cumberland, 3 of the 7 appeals heard for places from September 2025 succeeded. Across England, 15% did.

A parent walking two children along the pavement

Three children with backpacks crossing a street

Applying for September 2027

These dates are for the next round. The figures above are for children who started in September 2026.

Now
Open days run in the autumn. Ask the school for dates.
15 Jan 2027
Deadline to apply to the council for Cumberland.
16 Apr 2027
Offers day. You'll hear from the council.
Sep 2027
Your child starts Reception.

Applications and offers, year by yearEach England row is for the same year and kind of school.

	2026	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014
Applications	36	30	24	24	21	20	18	25	25	19	24	29	20
First choices	30	24	22	23	15	18	15	22	24	18	22	27	20
Offers made	34	24	22	23	15	18	15	22	24	18	22	27	20
Offers to first choices	30	24	22	23	15	18	15	22	24	18	22	27	20
First choices who got a place	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
England	92%	93%	93%	93%	92%	92%	90%	91%	91%	90%	88%	88%	88%

Each year is the September children started. A first choice is a family who put the school first on their form. Offers are those made on national offer day, so later moves aren't counted. They can differ from the school's full number of places, which is in its admissions policy.

Source: DfE, Applications and offers.

Figures up to 2016 include Longtown Primary School, the school it replaced.

Day to day

Life at Longtown

The average child misses about 9 days a year

That's 4.9% of the school year, for any reason including illness. And 1 in 8 children (13%) missed at least 1 day in 10, which counts as persistently absent. Cumberland: 10%. England, primary schools: about 13%.

In schoolMissed

No pupils were suspended in 2024/25

Across England, similar schools: 1.1%. No permanent exclusions.

Nursery classFrom age 3. 27 children this year.

Before and after schoolWe don't hold club times. Ask the school.

Pupils

Who goes to Longtown

A steady school: 196 pupils in 2018, 182 now.

Year 6, in darker blue, is the year group that sits the tests at 11.

52% girls48% boys

Ethnic background

95% White British · 3% White Other · 1% White & Black African · 0% African · 1% in smaller groups

23.1%
Free school meals
Children from lower-income families. The school gets extra money to support them.
Cumberland20%
6%
English as an additional language
Children who speak another language at home. It says nothing about how well they speak English.
Cumberland7.2%
18.1%
Special educational needs
Children with special educational needs, with or without an EHC plan.
Main needs recorded (pupils)
- Speech, language and communication13
- Social, emotional and mental health8
- Autism4
Cumberland18.8%
4.9%
EHC plan
Children with a legal plan for more complex needs (an Education, Health and Care plan).

Pupils and attendance, year by yearEach England row is for the same year and kind of school.

	2026	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014
Pupils on roll	182	202	202	188	189	185	–	193	196	–	–	–	–
Days missed	–	4.9%	6.4%	6.4%	6.4%	2.5%	–	3.4%	3.6%	5.1%	3.8%	4.9%	4.2%
England		5.2%	5.5%	5.9%	6.3%	3.7%		4%	4.2%	4%	4%	4%	3.9%
Often absent	–	13.1%	14.8%	22.4%	16.8%	2.6%	–	1.4%	3.7%	10.8%	8.2%	11.5%	8.3%
England		13%	14.5%	16.2%	17.7%	8.8%		8.2%	8.7%	8.3%	8.2%	8.4%	8%

Each year is the school year ending that summer, so 2025 means 2024-25. Days missed is the share of school sessions missed for any reason. Often absent is the share of pupils missing at least 1 day in 10.

Source: DfE, school census and pupil absence.

Attendance for 2026 isn't published yet.

2021 attendance was shaped by Covid, so read it with care.

There are no 2020 figures: Covid stopped the attendance count, and we don't hold that year's pupil numbers.

Our pupil numbers start in 2018.

Figures up to 2016 include Longtown Primary School, the school it replaced.

Open day

What to ask when you visit

Based on what the data says about Longtown. Take this list with you.

1“What did Ofsted say on its March 2025 visit?”The Good grade is from 2019. The newer report is the best guide to the school today.
2“How will you use the money in reserve?”The school had £11,000 saved at the last count, or £72,611 adjusted for its share of its trust's central reserves.
3“Does a nursery place help with getting into Reception?”In 2026, 36 families applied and 34 were offered places.
4“How do you support children who need extra help?”18.1% of pupils have special educational needs here.

Nearby

Other primary schools nearby

Popular schools fill up, so it's wise to list more than one. Here's how Longtown compares with its neighbours.

See all Cumberland primaries

Ofsted: GoodYou're here

Longtown Primary School

CA6 5UG · Academy Sponsor Led · 182 pupils

Met the standard: 68%
Days missed: 4.9%
Pupils per teacher: 17.6

Ofsted: Good in every area

Blackford CofE Primary School

CA6 4ES · State · Primary · Ages 3–11

Met the standard: 13%
Days missed: 5.8%
Pupils per teacher: 15.2

Ofsted: Good

Fir Ends Primary School

CA6 6AY · State · Primary · Ages 3–11

Met the standard: 33%
Days missed: 3.8%
Pupils per teacher: 16.9

Ofsted: Good

Rockcliffe CofE School

CA6 4AA · State · Primary · Ages 3–11

Met the standard: 58%
Days missed: 4.6%
Pupils per teacher: 16.3

Keep an eye on Longtown

We'll email you when there's a new Ofsted report, new results or new admissions figures. Nothing else.

Staff and money

Teachers, and what the school spends

1 teacher for every 18 children

Children per teacher across the whole school, not class size. Cumberland: 18.9. England, primary schools: 20.7. Counting teaching assistants and other support staff, there's 1 adult for every 10 children.

Average class: 21 children.

9.8teachers (full-time equivalent)

8teaching assistants

100%of teachers fully qualified

Pupils in a classroom while their teacher presents

Staff, year by yearEach England row is for the same year and kind of school.

	2026	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011
Pupils per teacher	17.6	19.6	19.1	22.2	23.8	23.4	19.8	16.4	19.6	18.8	19.1	17	19.6	18.6	20.4	18.3
England	20.7	20.8	20.8	20.7	20.6	20.6	20.9	20.9	20.9	20.6	20.5	20.4	20.5	20.5	20.5	20.5
Teachers (full-time)	9.8	10	10	8.2	7.6	7.6	9.4	11.1	9.4	10.4	10.6	11.7	10.1	10.1	9.4	10.7
Teaching assistants	8	9.5	8.6	8.5	7.5	7.6	7.7	4.9	5.5	5.9	6.2	6.3	5.4	5.9	4.8	–
Qualified teachers	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%

Each year is the November staff count of that school year, so 2025 means 2024-25. Pupils per teacher covers the whole school, not class size. Full-time counts two half-time teachers as one. Qualified means holding qualified teacher status.

Source: DfE, School workforce in England.

Figures up to 2016 include Longtown Primary School, the school it replaced.

£5,959 spent on each child a year

2024 to 2025. Up from £4,626 in 2015. Cumberland: £7,525. England, primary schools, 2024-25: £7,039.

Staff (teachers, assistants and others)£4,57077%
Buildings and grounds£4027%
Everything else: books, IT, food, supplies£98717%

Money in: £6,865
Spent: £5,959

These are the school's own accounts, not the whole of Cumbria Education Trust. They leave out what the trust spends centrally, so compare with other schools with care. In 2024-25 it took in £178,000 more than it spent (£906 per pupil). Money left over goes into its reserves.

The school had £11,000 saved (£56 per pupil) in 2025. Adjusted for its share of its trust's central reserves, that's £72,611. Reserves are for a rainy day, but they're meant to benefit pupils. Worth asking how they'll be used.

Money per pupil, year by yearEach England row is for the same year and kind of school.

	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
Spending	£5,959	£5,942	£5,497	£5,064	£4,590	£4,290	£4,182	£4,811	£4,859	£4,924	£4,626
England	£7,039	£6,588	£6,167	£5,758	£5,397	£5,306	£5,126	£5,058	£5,066
Income	£6,865	£6,387	£6,168	£5,767	£5,298	£5,067	£4,926	£5,141	£4,920	£4,849	£4,732
Staff costs	£4,570	£4,592	£4,150	£3,629	£3,444	£3,346	£3,052	£3,730	£3,969	–	–
Buildings and grounds	£402	£262	£225	£393	£275	£236	£209	£124	£82	–	–
Reserves	£56	–	£474	£543	£590	£461	£237	£5	–	£296	£377

Each year is the financial year ending in that year. Per pupil means the year's total divided by the number of pupils. These are day-to-day figures: big building projects aren't counted.

Blank reserves mean DfE's file shows nothing for the school that year. Trusts don't always report reserves school by school.

Source: DfE, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool.

The basics

School details

Ages: 3 to 11, with nursery
Type: Sponsored academy, run by a trust
Academy trust: Cumbria Education Trust
Gender: Mixed
Religious character: None
Size: 182 pupils (27 in nursery), 189 places
Head: Miss Anna Carroll
Opened: September 2016
Council: Cumberland
Address: Mary Street, Longtown, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA6 5UG
Phone: 01228 791203
School number (URN): 143116 · See it on the government register

Questions

Questions parents ask

Is Longtown Primary School a good school?

Ofsted rated it Good in May 2019. That's a while ago. In 2025, 68% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, against 56% in Cumberland and 62% across England. Visit, and read the latest inspection report.

What is Longtown Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated it Good in May 2019. That's a while ago. Ofsted no longer gives one overall grade, so its next inspection will give a report card that grades each area. The full report on Ofsted's website explains what it does well and what it needs to improve.

What are Longtown Primary School's SATs results?

In 2025, 68% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, against 56% in Cumberland and 62% across England. 3% reached the higher standard, against 5% in Cumberland and 8% across England. Its average scaled scores were 106 in reading and 105 in maths, where 100 is the expected standard.

How does Longtown Primary School compare with other schools in Cumberland?

68% of its pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2025. That puts it joint 31st of 112 mainstream state primary schools in Cumberland with published results that year.

How hard is it to get a place?

In 2026, 36 families applied and 34 were offered Reception places, and 30 families put it as their first choice. Every family who put it first got a place that year.

Does Longtown have a nursery?

Yes, it has a nursery class. A nursery place doesn't guarantee a Reception place, so you still need to apply.

Is it a faith school?

No, it doesn't have a religious character.

How do you work out the Eduscope rank score?

We compare the school with others of the same phase across England on its latest Ofsted inspection, results and attendance, and turn that into a score out of 100. The weights are on our methodology page. Admissions, staff and money aren't part of it.

Sources: Department for Education school performance tables, school census and workforce, academy accounts, admissions statistics, Ofsted and ISI. Photos are stand-ins. School details and inspections checked against official records on 5 November 2026.

Longtown Primary School

How it ranks in England

Met the standard at 11Middle

Ofsted, against other schoolsMiddle

AttendanceMiddle

Higher standard at 11Low

Reading and maths scoresLow

Good to know

Worth checking

Good in 2019. What's changed since?

Every Ofsted visit

What Ofsted found in September 2013

What Ofsted found in January 2016

What Ofsted found in May 2019

A shorter visit in March 2025

Earlier visits

The four grades, in plain English

How children do by age 11

About 7 in 10 children met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths

Fewer children reached the higher standard than across England

Met the expected standard, year by year

Test scores, 2025

Longtown among primary schools in Cumberland

Could your child get a place?

36 families applied and 34 were offered Reception places

Demand has nearly doubled in 12 years

Who gets a place first

Applying for September 2027

Life at Longtown

The average child misses about 9 days a year

No pupils were suspended in 2024/25

Who goes to Longtown

Free school meals

English as an additional language

Special educational needs

EHC plan

What to ask when you visit

Other primary schools nearby

Longtown Primary School

Blackford CofE Primary School

Fir Ends Primary School

Rockcliffe CofE School

Keep an eye on Longtown

Teachers, and what the school spends

1 teacher for every 18 children

£5,959 spent on each child a year

School details

Questions parents ask