Community school · Westmorland and Furness

Alston Primary School

4–11Ages
88Pupils
PrimaryPhase
112101URN

Church Road, Alston, CA9 3QU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.0per place

0.9 below Westmorland and Furness median (1.9)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Westmorland and Furness

10 applications for 10 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

38%met the expected standard

Westmorland and Furness 60% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 21 January 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.0applications per place, Reception

0.9 below Westmorland and Furness median (1.9) 1.2 below England median (2.2)

10 applications · 10 places offered · 10 named it first

2026 1.0; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.9
2025 1.0; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.9
2024 1.1; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7
2023 1.0; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.8
2022 1.0; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.8
2021 1.1; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.9
2020 1.0; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.7
2019 1.2; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.8
2018 1.2; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.8
2017 1.3; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.8
2016 1.0; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.9
2015 1.1; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.8
2014 1.0; Westmorland and Furness median median 1.6

More applications per place than the Westmorland and Furness median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Westmorland and Furness median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	10	10	1.0	10	1.00
Sep 2025	13	13	1.0	13	1.00
Sep 2024	13	14	1.1	13	1.00
Sep 2023	10	10	1.0	10	1.00
Sep 2022	14	14	1.0	14	1.00
Sep 2021	10	11	1.1	10	1.00
Sep 2020	9	9	1.0	9	1.00
Sep 2019	11	13	1.2	11	1.00
Sep 2018	10	12	1.2	10	1.00
Sep 2017	10	13	1.3	10	1.00
Sep 2016	13	13	1.0	13	1.00
Sep 2015	12	13	1.1	12	1.00
Sep 2014	12	12	1.0	12	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 69% · Writing 69% · Maths 69% → all three 38% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard38%80th of 97 in Westmorland and Furness

Westmorland and Furness 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard69%

Westmorland and Furness 75% England 78%

Higher standard38%

Westmorland and Furness 32% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard69%

Westmorland and Furness 73% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Westmorland and Furness 9% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard69%

Westmorland and Furness 76% England 77%

Higher standard23%

Westmorland and Furness 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Westmorland and Furness median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	38%	0%	104	102
2023/24	33%	0%	102	99
2022/23	35%	12%	105	104

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Alston Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.0applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Nenthead Primary School
6.4 km · Westmorland and Furness

Good2024
Whitfield CofE Primary School
13.4 km · Northumberland

2026

1.3applications per place
Wearhead Primary School
15.4 km · County Durham

Standards maintained2024
Allendale Primary School
15.5 km · Northumberland

Remains Good2023

1.0applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
Kirkoswald CofE School
17.1 km · Westmorland and Furness

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Lazonby C of E Primary School
18.0 km · Westmorland and Furness

Good2023

1.7applications per place 0%met the SATs standard
Haltwhistle Primary Academy
18.0 km · Northumberland

Outstanding2023

1.0applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Milburn School
18.0 km · Westmorland and Furness

Some aspects not as strong2025

1.3applications per place

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 112101 · 943/2004
Capacity: 105 pupils · 88 on roll
Free school meals: 18.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Church Road, Alston, CA9 3QU
Local authority: Westmorland and Furness

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources