Voluntary controlled school · Cumberland

Houghton CofE School

4–11Ages
179Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
112250URN

Jackson Road, Houghton, Carlisle, CA3 0PA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected May 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.9per place

1.2 above Cumberland median (1.7)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Cumberland

63 applications for 22 places · 2nd of 63 in Cumberland

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

68%met the expected standard

Cumberland 56% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 6 May 2026Published 18 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years		Expected standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

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

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

6 May 2026
Report card · 6 Expected standard, 1 Needs attention
16 March 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains 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

2.9applications per place, Reception

1.2 above Cumberland median (1.7) 0.7 above England median (2.2)

63 applications · 22 places offered · 17 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.9; Cumberland median median 1.7
2025 2.8; Cumberland median median 1.7
2024 2.6; Cumberland median median 1.6
2023 3.1; Cumberland median median 1.7
2022 2.7; Cumberland median median 1.7
2021 2.6; Cumberland median median 1.6
2020 2.8; Cumberland median median 1.7
2019 2.5; Cumberland median median 1.7
2018 2.6; Cumberland median median 1.9
2017 2.5; Cumberland median median 1.8
2016 2.9; Cumberland median median 2.0
2015 2.7; Cumberland median median 1.8
2014 2.6; Cumberland median median 1.7

More applications per place than the Cumberland median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Cumberland 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	22	63	2.9	17	0.77
Sep 2025	30	85	2.8	35	1.17
Sep 2024	24	63	2.6	24	1.00
Sep 2023	30	93	3.1	35	1.17
Sep 2022	20	53	2.7	20	1.00
Sep 2021	30	79	2.6	39	1.30
Sep 2020	30	83	2.8	34	1.13
Sep 2019	28	69	2.5	27	0.96
Sep 2018	30	77	2.6	30	1.00
Sep 2017	24	59	2.5	21	0.88
Sep 2016	16	47	2.9	16	1.00
Sep 2015	20	54	2.7	19	0.95
Sep 2014	20	51	2.6	23	1.15

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 79% · Maths 71% → all three 68% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard68%31st of 111 in Cumberland

Cumberland 56% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard75%

Cumberland 75% England 78%

Higher standard46%

Cumberland 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard79%

Cumberland 71% England 75%

Greater depth25%

Cumberland 9% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard71%

Cumberland 71% England 77%

Higher standard21%

Cumberland 17% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Cumberland median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	68%	11%	106	102
2023/24	62%	7%	107	105
2022/23	65%	9%	107	107

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

Houghton CofE SchoolThis school
This school

2026

2.9applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Kingmoor Junior School
1.9 km · Cumberland

2026

60%met the SATs standard
Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School
1.9 km · Cumberland

Remains Good · improving2023

1.5applications per place
Stanwix School
2.2 km · Cumberland

Remains Good2023

3.1applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Blackford CofE Primary School
3.5 km · Cumberland

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.3applications per place 13%met the SATs standard
Norman Street Primary School
3.7 km · Cumberland

Remains Good2024

1.8applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle
3.8 km · Cumberland

Remains Good2023

1.3applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Crosby-on-Eden CofE School
3.9 km · Cumberland

Good2024

2.2applications per place 88%met the SATs standard
Caldew Lea School
3.9 km · Cumberland

Good2024

1.6applications per place 56%met the SATs standard

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: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 112250 · 942/3015
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 179 on roll
Free school meals: 5.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Jackson Road, Houghton, Carlisle, CA3 0PA
Local authority: Cumberland

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