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St Bridget's CofE School

  • Ofsted: Good · Mar 2014
  • Ages 3 to 11
  • Cockermouth CA13
  • 82 pupils

In short: a primary school with a nursery. Ofsted rated it Good, but that was in 2014. Recent results are below average, and attendance is above 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.

DfE and Ofsted dataHow we work this out

Good to know

  • Good in all 4 areas at its last graded inspection.
  • Good attendance. 6% of children are often absent. Cumberland: 10%.
  • Nursery from 3, so younger brothers and sisters can start early.

Worth checking

  • Old grade. The Good rating is from 2014, before Covid.
  • Results below England. 47% met the standard. England: 62%.
  • Behind similar schools. It's ahead of about 2% of schools with a similar share on free school meals.
Check my chances
  • OfstedGoodMar 2014, 12 years ago
  • Met the standard at 1147%Cumberland 56% · England 62%
  • Reception, 20266 of 6first choices got a place
  • Free school meals11%Cumberland 20%
  • Pupils82Room for 145, plus 6 in nursery
  • Days missed3.8%About 7 days a year
Then and now

Good in 2014. What's changed since?

Ofsted rated the school Good in 2009. 5 years later it was still Good. Since then it has had two shorter, ungraded visits, 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 Satisfactory in 2006, then Good at the next inspection in 2009.

What Ofsted found in March 2014

  • LeadershipGood
  • Quality of teachingGood
  • Achievement of pupilsGood
  • Behaviour and safety of pupilsGood
Read the 2014 report on Ofsted

Earlier visits

  • 21 Mar 2006SatisfactoryReport
  • 13 Nov 2000No grade givenReport
Other Ofsted documents (1)

Letters and checks that aren't inspections, such as academy conversions, complaints and desk assessments. They don't change the school's grade.

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 half of 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.

47 out of every 100 Year 6 children
St Bridget's CofE School47%
Cumberland56%
England62%

15 pupils took these tests in 2025, so one child is about 7 percentage points.

Against 4,565 primary schools with a similar share of children on free school meals (6% to 16%), it's ahead of about 2% on the expected standard over recent years.

A girl reading a book on library stairs

Test scores, 2025

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

Reading104
England106
Maths100
England105

Grammar and spelling: 53% met the standard (England 73%).

Every result, year by yearEach England row is the figure for the same year.
20252024202320222021202020192018
Pupils tested1588–––1316
Met the expected standard47%13%50%–––23%44%
England62%61%60%65%64%
Higher standard0%13%25%–––8%0%
England8%8%8%11%10%
Reading score104101104–––101107
England106105105104105
Maths score10094100–––9899
England105104104105104
Grammar and spelling53%50%75%–––38%69%
England73%72%72%78%78%
Disadvantaged pupils321–––11
Reading progress––-2–––-0.8+1.3
Writing progress––+1.2–––+0.2-1.3
Maths progress––-4.7–––-4.2-3.7

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.

St Bridget's CofE School among primary schools in Cumberland

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

Cumberland 56%England 62%0%25%50%75%100%Distington Community School: 9%Holm Cultram Abbey CofE Primary School: 10%Blackford CofE Primary School: 13%Crosscanonby St John's CofE School: 18%Blennerhasset School: 29%Victoria Junior School: 29%Thwaites School: 29%Northside Primary School: 30%Fir Ends Primary School: 33%Montreal CofE Primary School: 33%All Saints' CofE School: 35%St Bridget's CofE School: 36%Valley Primary School and Nursery: 36%Braithwaite CofE Primary School: 36%Kirkbride Primary School: 38%Broughton Moor Primary School: 38%Silloth Primary School: 38%Robert Ferguson Primary School: 38%Hallbankgate Village School: 38%Monkwray Junior School: 41%St Margaret Mary Catholic Primary School, Carlisle: 41%Seaton St. Paul's CofE Junior School: 42%Brook Street Primary School: 43%Waberthwaite CofE School: 43%The Bishop Harvey Goodwin School (Church of England Voluntary Aided): 43%Bransty Primary School: 44%Boltons CofE School: 45%St Michael's CofE Primary School: 45%Maryport CofE Primary School: 45%Dean CofE School: 45%Thomlinson Junior School: 46%Inglewood Junior School: 46%Orgill Primary School: 46%Cumwhinton School: 47%St Begh's Catholic Junior School: 47%St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, Workington: 47%St Bridget's CofE School: 47%Ewanrigg Junior School: 48%Burgh by Sands School: 50%Haverigg Primary School: 50%Lowca Community School: 50%Black Combe Junior School: 50%Newlaithes Junior School: 50%Beckermet CofE School: 50%Hensingham Primary School: 50%Petteril Bank School: 50%Pennine Way Primary School: 51%Flimby Primary School: 52%St Patrick's Catholic Primary School: 53%Moor Row Community Primary School: 54%St Herbert's CofE (VA) Primary and Nursery School: 54%Wreay Church of England Primary School: 54%Our Lady and St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Maryport: 54%Seascale Primary School: 55%Stanwix School: 55%Newtown Primary School: 55%Caldew Lea School: 56%St Matthew's CofE School: 57%St Bede's Catholic Primary School: 57%Rockcliffe CofE School: 58%Dearham Primary School: 58%Richmond Hill School: 59%Norman Street Primary School: 59%Warwick Bridge Primary School: 59%Kingmoor Junior School: 60%Brampton Primary School: 60%St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle: 60%Upperby Primary School: 61%St Bees Village Primary School: 61%Ashfield Junior School: 62%St Bridget's Catholic Primary School: 62%Kirkbampton CofE School: 63%St James' Catholic Primary School: 64%Westfield Nursery and Primary School: 64%Beckstone Primary School: 65%Derwent Vale Primary and Nursery School: 67%Plumbland CofE School: 67%Rosley CofE School: 67%Lorton School: 67%Houghton CofE School: 68%Yewdale School: 68%Longtown Primary School: 68%Belle Vue Primary School: 69%St Mary's Catholic Primary School: 69%Frizington Community Primary School: 70%Raughton Head CofE School & Nursery: 70%St Patrick's Catholic Primary School: 70%Castle Carrock School: 70%Broughton Primary School: 72%Cummersdale School: 73%Thursby Primary School: 74%St James' CofE Junior School: 74%Eaglesfield Paddle CofE Primary Academy: 74%Wiggonby CofE School: 75%Bowness-on-Solway Primary School: 75%St Mary's Catholic Primary School: 76%Irthington Village School: 78%Ennerdale and Kinniside CofE Primary School: 78%Scotby CofE Primary School: 78%Bookwell Primary School: 80%Moresby Primary School: 80%Great Corby School and Nursery: 80%Gosforth CofE Primary School and Nursery: 81%Lanercost CofE Primary School: 82%Shankhill CofE Primary School: 83%Fairfield Primary School: 83%Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School: 87%Hayton CofE Primary School: 88%Crosby-on-Eden CofE School: 88%Jericho Primary School: 89%Stoneraise School: 90%St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School: 91%St Bridget's CofE School 47%
St Bridget's CofE School is higher than 33 of 111 other Cumberland state primary schools in 2025.
Getting in

Could your child get a place?

In 2026 every family who put St Bridget's CofE School first got a place.

15 families applied and 6 were offered Reception places

Families list several schools, so this counts every family who listed it, not only those who put it first. 6 families put it first, and all of them got a place.

● 6 places: each figure is about 10

Over the last 3 rounds, 26 of 26 families who put it first got a place (100%). Room for 145 suggests about 21 places a year. The exact number is in the school's admissions policy.

Demand has fallen sharply in 12 years

Applications each year. The black line is how many places were offered. Applications fell from 21 in 2025 to 15.

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.

  1. 1Children in care, or who used to be
  2. 2Children with a brother or sister already at the school
  3. 3Families of the school's faith, if it's a faith school

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.
2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Applications15212117243618191817253225
First choices69118721710147111617
Offers made69118721710147111616
Offers to first choices69118721710147111616
First choices who got a place100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%94%
England92%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.

Day to day

Life at St Bridget's CofE School

The average child misses about 7 days a year

That's 3.8% of the school year, for any reason including illness. And 1 in 17 children (6%) 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. 6 children this year.

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

Pupils

Who goes to St Bridget's CofE School

A shrinking school: 111 pupils in 2018, 82 now.

Year 6, in darker blue, is the year group that sits the tests at 11.
Children in front of a bookshelf

Ethnic background

98% White British · 2% White & Asian

  • 11%

    Free school meals

    Children from lower-income families. The school gets extra money to support them.

    Cumberland20%

  • 0%

    English as an additional language

    Children who speak another language at home. It says nothing about how well they speak English.

    Cumberland7.2%

  • 9.8%

    Special educational needs

    Children with special educational needs, with or without an EHC plan.

    Main needs recorded (pupils)

    • Moderate learning difficulty4
    • Autism2
    • Speech, language and communication1

    Cumberland18.8%

  • 3.7%

    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.
2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Pupils on roll8290938995102–108111––––
Days missed–3.8%5.4%6.7%5.4%4.1%–4.5%4%3.4%3.6%4%4.3%
England5.2%5.5%5.9%6.3%3.7%4%4.2%4%4%4%3.9%
Often absent–5.9%11.8%20%6.1%12%–12.2%8.5%5.8%5.1%9.5%14%
England13%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.

Open day

What to ask when you visit

Based on what the data says about St Bridget's CofE School. Take this list with you.

  1. 1“What did Ofsted say on its November 2023 visit?”The Good grade is from 2014. The newer report is the best guide to the school today.
  2. 2“How will you use the money in reserve?”The school had £46,724 saved at the last count.
  3. 3“Does a nursery place help with getting into Reception?”In 2026, 15 families applied and 6 were offered places.
  4. 4“How do you support children who need extra help?”9.8% 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 St Bridget's CofE School compares with its neighbours.

See all Cumberland primaries
Ofsted: GoodYou're here

St Bridget's CofE School

CA13 0TU · Voluntary Controlled School · 82 pupils

Met the standard
47%
Days missed
3.8%
Pupils per teacher
11.9
Ofsted: Good

Broughton Primary School

CA13 0YT · Academy · Primary · Ages 3–11

Met the standard
72%
Days missed
3.2%
Pupils per teacher
21.5
Ofsted: Good

Derwent Vale Primary and Nursery School

CA14 1WA · State · Primary · Ages 3–11

Met the standard
67%
Days missed
5.1%
Pupils per teacher
15.7
Ofsted: Good

Eaglesfield Paddle CofE Primary Academy

CA13 0QY · Academy · Primary · Ages 0–11

Met the standard
74%
Days missed
2.8%
Pupils per teacher
24.4

Keep an eye on St Bridget's CofE School

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 12 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 9 children.

Average class: 15 children.

6.9teachers (full-time equivalent)
2.4teaching assistants
87%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.
2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011
Pupils per teacher11.917.916.416.617.117.418.920.520.920.921.818.72020.525.822.6
England20.720.820.820.720.620.620.920.920.920.620.520.420.520.520.520.5
Teachers (full-time)6.955.255.25.35.2555.55.56.65.75.74.85.3
Teaching assistants2.43.42.73.12.72.32.22.12.63.53.72.93.62.92.5–
Qualified teachers87%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.

£8,564 spent on each child a year

2025 to 2026. Up from £4,431 in 2015. Cumberland: £8,091.

  • Staff (teachers, assistants and others)£6,03570%
  • Buildings and grounds£5436%
  • Everything else: books, IT, food, supplies£1,98723%
Money in
£8,663
Spent
£8,564

These are the school's own accounts. In 2025-26 it took in £8,096 more than it spent (£99 per pupil). Money left over goes into its reserves.

The school had £46,724 saved (£570 per pupil) in 2026. 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.
202620252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Spending£8,564£7,643£7,485£7,439£6,543£6,098£5,702£5,254£5,277£5,109£4,865£4,431
England£7,039£6,588£6,167£5,758£5,397£5,306£5,126£5,058£5,066
Income£8,663£7,937£7,465£7,385£6,333£6,217£5,657£5,210£5,310£5,050£4,983£4,458
Staff costs£6,035£5,273£5,137£5,063£4,776£4,609£4,064£3,583£3,626£3,531––
Buildings and grounds£543£548£447£482£420£307£248£236£314£188––
Reserves£570£432£144£169£210£398£266£298£336£272£320£195

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.

Source: DfE, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool.

The basics

School details

Ages
3 to 11, with nursery
Type
Voluntary Controlled School
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Size
82 pupils (6 in nursery), 145 places
Headteacher
Mrs Lisa Hemingway
Council
Cumberland
Address
Brigham, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 0TU
School number (URN)
112271 · See it on the government register
Questions

Questions parents ask

Is St Bridget's CofE School a good school?

Ofsted rated it Good in March 2014. That's a while ago. In 2025, 47% 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 St Bridget's CofE School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated it Good in March 2014. 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 St Bridget's CofE School's SATs results?

In 2025, 47% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, against 56% in Cumberland and 62% across England. 0% reached the higher standard, against 5% in Cumberland and 8% across England. Its average scaled scores were 104 in reading and 100 in maths, where 100 is the expected standard.

How does St Bridget's CofE School compare with other schools in Cumberland?

47% of its pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2025. That puts it joint 76th of 112 mainstream state primary schools in Cumberland with published results that year.

How hard is it to get a place?

In 2026, 15 families applied and 6 were offered Reception places, and 6 families put it as their first choice. Every family who put it first got a place that year.

Does St Bridget's CofE School 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?

Yes. Its religious character is Church of England. Faith schools can give priority to families of that faith, so check its admissions policy.

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.

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