Voluntary aided school · Cumberland

St Mary's Catholic Primary School

3–11Ages
195Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
112353URN

High Road, Kells, Whitehaven, CA28 9PG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 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

1.5per place

close to Cumberland median (1.7)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Cumberland

31 applications for 21 places · 43rd of 63 in Cumberland

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

76%met the expected standard

Cumberland 56% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 7 May 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
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision	Outstanding

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

1.5applications per place, Reception

close to Cumberland median (1.7) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

31 applications · 21 places offered · 20 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.5; Cumberland median median 1.7
2025 1.8; Cumberland median median 1.7
2024 1.7; Cumberland median median 1.6
2023 2.1; Cumberland median median 1.7
2022 1.4; Cumberland median median 1.7
2021 2.0; Cumberland median median 1.6
2020 1.6; Cumberland median median 1.7
2019 2.0; Cumberland median median 1.7
2018 2.2; Cumberland median median 1.9
2017 2.0; Cumberland median median 1.8
2016 3.0; Cumberland median median 2.0
2015 2.8; Cumberland median median 1.8
2014 2.0; Cumberland median median 1.7

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	21	31	1.5	20	0.95
Sep 2025	23	42	1.8	23	1.00
Sep 2024	18	31	1.7	18	1.00
Sep 2023	14	30	2.1	14	1.00
Sep 2022	24	34	1.4	23	0.96
Sep 2021	24	47	2.0	25	1.04
Sep 2020	25	41	1.6	26	1.04
Sep 2019	24	47	2.0	24	1.00
Sep 2018	25	54	2.2	32	1.28
Sep 2017	25	49	2.0	25	1.00
Sep 2016	22	65	3.0	25	1.14
Sep 2015	26	72	2.8	29	1.12
Sep 2014	20	39	2.0	20	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 96% · Writing 88% · Maths 84% → all three 76% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard76%17th of 111 in Cumberland

Cumberland 56% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard96%

Cumberland 75% England 78%

Higher standard40%

Cumberland 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard88%

Cumberland 71% England 75%

Greater depth20%

Cumberland 9% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard84%

Cumberland 71% England 77%

Higher standard32%

Cumberland 17% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (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	76%	12%	109	107
2023/24	78%	15%	108	105
2022/23	79%	8%	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

St Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Kells Infant School
0.1 km · Cumberland

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.5applications per place
Monkwray Junior School
0.7 km · Cumberland

Remains Good2023

41%met the SATs standard
St Gregory and St Patrick's Catholic Infant School
1.3 km · Cumberland

Good2024

1.5applications per place
St Begh's Catholic Junior School
1.4 km · Cumberland

Remains Good2023

47%met the SATs standard
Valley Primary School and Nursery
1.7 km · Cumberland

Remains Good2024

1.2applications per place 36%met the SATs standard
St James' CofE Infant and Nursery School
2.1 km · Cumberland

Remains Good · improving2024

2.2applications per place
Jericho Primary School
2.1 km · Cumberland

Good2023

1.5applications per place 89%met the SATs standard
St James' CofE Junior School
2.2 km · Cumberland

2026

74%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 aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 112353 · 942/3519
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 180 pupils · 195 on roll
Free school meals: 23.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: High Road, Kells, Whitehaven, CA28 9PG
Local authority: Cumberland

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