Academy converter · Cumberland

Keswick School

11–18Ages
1,208Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
136902URN

Vicarage Hill, Keswick, CA12 5QB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Apr 2024 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

close to Cumberland median (1.9)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Cumberland

381 applications for 200 places · 6th of 16 in Cumberland

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

50.9of 90

Cumberland 41.5 England 46.0

1st of 19 in Cumberland

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding · 23 April 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Sixth form 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

1.9applications per place, Year 7

close to Cumberland median (1.9) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

381 applications · 200 places offered · 199 named it first

2026 1.9; Cumberland median median 1.9
2025 2.2; Cumberland median median 1.9
2024 1.9; Cumberland median median 1.5
2023 2.1; Cumberland median median 1.8
2022 2.1; Cumberland median median 1.8
2021 2.5; Cumberland median median 1.8
2020 2.3; Cumberland median median 1.7
2019 2.4; Cumberland median median 1.6
2018 2.6; Cumberland median median 1.8
2017 2.4; Cumberland median median 1.7
2016 2.8; Cumberland median median 1.6
2015 2.0; Cumberland median median 1.6
2014 2.2; Cumberland median median 1.5

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

This school
Cumberland median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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	200	381	1.9	199	1.00
Sep 2025	172	379	2.2	169	0.98
Sep 2024	160	304	1.9	161	1.01
Sep 2023	150	313	2.1	149	0.99
Sep 2022	179	381	2.1	173	0.97
Sep 2021	177	434	2.5	172	0.97
Sep 2020	188	431	2.3	176	0.94
Sep 2019	211	503	2.4	223	1.06
Sep 2018	202	526	2.6	236	1.17
Sep 2017	200	474	2.4	223	1.12
Sep 2016	171	473	2.8	231	1.35
Sep 2015	201	407	2.0	196	0.98
Sep 2014	168	361	2.2	193	1.15

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

203 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)50.91st of 19 in Cumberland

Cumberland 41.5 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths55%1st of 19 in Cumberland

Cumberland 33% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths78%

Cumberland 56% England 66%

This school
Cumberland median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.39

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	203	50.9	55%	78%	–
2024/25	192	52.1	56%	80%	–
2023/24	209	54.1	66%	88%	+0.39
2022/23	210	52.8	62%	83%	+0.33

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

Keswick SchoolThis school
This school

Outstanding2024

1.9applications per place 50.9Attainment 8
Cockermouth School
14.7 km · Cumberland

Remains Good2024

1.9applications per place 47.9Attainment 8
Beacon Hill Community School
21.2 km · Cumberland

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.9applications per place 37.5Attainment 8
The Nelson Thomlinson School
23.8 km · Cumberland

Good2023

1.4applications per place 43.1Attainment 8
Energy Coast UTC
24.2 km · Cumberland

Good2023

22.5Attainment 8
Netherhall School
25.1 km · Cumberland

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.4applications per place 41.7Attainment 8
Workington Academy
25.2 km · Cumberland

Good2022

1.5applications per place 40.9Attainment 8
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Penrith
25.7 km · Westmorland and Furness

Good2023

1.4applications per place 65.2Attainment 8 Selective
St Josephs Catholic High School, Workington
25.9 km · Cumberland

2026

2.0applications per place 36.8Attainment 8

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: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 136902 · 942/5414
Trust: Keswick School Multi Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,229 pupils · 1,208 on roll
Free school meals: 10.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 July 2011
Replaced: Keswick School (URN 112441)
Address: Vicarage Hill, Keswick, CA12 5QB
Local authority: Cumberland

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources