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Schools in Penrith

A town in Westmorland and Furness

  • Town
  • 12 schools and nurseries
  • 3,396 pupils

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 above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Penrith at a glance

Strong results at 16, weaker results at 11

How Penrith's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries124 primary · 2 secondary · 5 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1145%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths54%Attainment 8 49.3, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary18%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Penrith

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.

All Penrith primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Penrith

4 mainstream schools in Penrith, best first

Beaconside CofE Primary School

Penrith, CA11 8EN · State · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well below the England average.

49 first choices, 49 offers made

Met the standard at 1151%

England 62%

Days missed
4.7%
Pupils
445
Pupils per teacher
19.0
View school Beaconside CofE Primary School

North Lakes School

Penrith, CA11 8NU · State · Primary · Ages 7 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well below the England average.

Met the standard at 1139%

England 62%

Days missed
6.4%
Pupils
161
Pupils per teacher
19.5
View school North Lakes School
See all 5 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in Penrith

2 mainstream schools in Penrith, best first

Ullswater Community College

Penrith, CA11 8NG · State · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results below the England average.

156 first choices, 161 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1639.5

England 46.2

Days missed
8.8%
Pupils
1,520
Pupils per teacher
16.2
View school Ullswater Community College

Nurseries in Penrith

5 in Penrith, highest Ofsted grade first

See all 5 nurseries

Sixth Forms in Penrith

2 in Penrith, by the school's Eduscope score

Ullswater Community College

Penrith, CA11 8NG · State · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results below the England average.

156 first choices, 161 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1639.5

England 46.2

Days missed
8.8%
Pupils
1,520
Pupils per teacher
16.2
View school Ullswater Community College

Private Schools in Penrith

1 in Penrith. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Hunter Hall School

Penrith, CA11 8UA · Independent · Primary · Ages 2 to 11

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
80
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Hunter Hall School
The map

Every school in Penrith, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Brunswick School, GoodNorth Lakes School, GoodUllswater Community College, GoodBeaconside CofE Primary School, GoodHunter Hall School, InspectedQueen Elizabeth Grammar School Penrith, GoodSt Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Penrith, GoodQueen Street Nursery and Pre-school, GoodLittle Oaks At Muddy Boots, OutstandingPenrith Pre-School Nursery, GoodKids Planet Penrith, Expected standard or betterLilyhowe Private Day Nursery & Pre-School Centre
  • Outstanding1
  • Good8
  • Not graded yet3
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every Penrith school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

More ways to narrow it down

Here's how Penrith's schools break down by type, faith and more.

Postcodes

Browse Penrith by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Penrith vs England

How good are Penrith's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Penrith

PenrithEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 4 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    2 of the 2 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    45%

    England 62%

    Below England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    54%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    17%

    England 18%

    Better than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    18%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 6 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good6
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Penrith in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap40%60%80%20182019202320242025
45% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap40%55%70%2018201920222023202420252026
54% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
17% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Penrith has 12 schools and nurseries.

There are 5% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.

18% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Penrith's state schools each January.

Up 5% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.

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.

Penrith18%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Penrith

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

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Questions

Questions parents ask about Penrith

Nearby areas

How many schools are in Penrith?

Penrith has 12 schools, including 5 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, 5 nurseries, 1 independent school. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Penrith?

The highest-ranked schools in Penrith on Eduscope are Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Penrith, Ullswater Community College, Beaconside 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 Penrith are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Penrith hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 6 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Penrith perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Penrith, 45% 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 Penrith?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Penrith is 17.4:1. 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 Penrith schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Penrith is 16.9%. 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 Penrith?

There are 3,396 pupils enrolled across schools in Penrith, with 850 in primary and 2,546 in secondary. 14.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Penrith?

There is 1 independent school in Penrith. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare it on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Penrith?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 12 schools in Penrith 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.

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