Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School
Temple Sowerby, Penrith, CA10 1RZ
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Voluntary controlled school
- Ages
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Headteacher
- Mr Karl Laithwaite
- Diocese
- Diocese of Carlisle
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Constituency
- Westmorland and Lonsdale
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Capacity
- 56
- Pupils on roll
- 49
- URN
- 112266
- Local authority
- Westmorland and Furness
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01768361512
About this school
Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School is a Church of England voluntary controlled primary school in Penrith. It teaches children aged 3 to 11 and has 49 pupils on roll.
Ofsted has inspected Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School, and its latest judgement is set out below. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Numbers and a report only go so far, so visit in person before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Confirmed by a short inspection, not a full one
Ofsted's most recent visit was a short inspection on 19 January 2023, where inspectors confirmed the school remains Good. The school's last full inspection took place before September 2019, so its area grades are not part of Ofsted's current published data. Older reports are on the school's Ofsted page.
Exam results
Key stage 2 (end of primary school)
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of key stage 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | - | - | 75% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | - | - | 13% |
| Expected standard in reading | - | - | 75% |
| Expected standard in maths | - | - | 75% |
| Expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling | - | - | 75% |
| Average scaled score in reading | - | - | 107.0 |
| Average scaled score in maths | - | - | 105.0 |
Trends over time
How Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 4.3% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 4.3% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 4.8% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 47 |
| 2023/24 | 54 |
| 2024/25 | 57 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
How Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School compares
Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School ranked 20th of 98 primary schools in Westmorland and Furness for KS2 results in 2024/25. Its KS2 result was higher than 78% of England primary schools that published results in 2024/25. Its absence rate was lower than 64% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | 75% | 4.8% | 6.5% | 49 | — |
| Kirkby Thore School | — | 6.8% | 16.1% | 33 | 1.6 miles |
| Culgaith CofE School | — | 4.3% | 8.7% | 56 | 1.9 miles |
| Bolton Primary School | 67% | 4.2% | 13.6% | 56 | 3.0 miles |
| Milburn School | — | 9% | 21.4% | 19 | 3.1 miles |
| Morland Area CofE Primary School | 100% | 3.4% | 7.8% | 119 | 3.1 miles |
Results reflect each school's cohort as much as its teaching, and free school meals share is context, not a judgement. Small gaps between neighbouring schools are rarely meaningful on their own.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 6.52%
- English as an additional language
- 0%
- Overall absence
- 4.83%
- Persistent absence
- 10%
Location
Nearby schools
-
Kirkby Thore School1.6 miles
Primary · Penrith
-
Culgaith CofE School1.9 miles
Primary · Penrith
-
Bolton Primary School3.0 miles
Primary · Appleby-in-Westmorland
-
Milburn School3.1 miles
Primary · Penrith
-
Morland Area CofE Primary School3.1 miles
Primary · Penrith
Other schools in Penrith
Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School ranks 4th of the 18 ranked primary schools in Penrith.
- Beaconside CofE Primary School Primary
- Brunswick School Primary
- Calthwaite CofE School Primary
- Clifton Primary School Primary
- Crosby Ravensworth CofE School Primary
- Culgaith CofE School Primary
- Greystoke Primary School Primary
- Kirkby Thore School Primary
- Kirkoswald CofE School Primary
- Langwathby CofE Primary School Primary
- Lazonby C of E Primary School Primary
- Lowther Endowed School Primary
Common questions
- What ages does Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School teach?
- Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School teaches children aged 3 to 11. It is a primary school in Penrith.
- Who is the headteacher of Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School?
- The headteacher of Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School is Mr Karl Laithwaite, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- Has Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School been inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How many pupils are at Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School?
- Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School has 49 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 3 to 11.
- Is Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School full?
- Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School has capacity for 56 pupils and 49 on roll (88%), so it has space against its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School a faith school?
- Yes. Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of Carlisle.
- Does Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School have a nursery?
- Yes. The schools register records Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School as having nursery classes.
- How does Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School compare with other schools in Westmorland and Furness?
- Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School ranked 20th of 98 primary schools in Westmorland and Furness for key stage 2 results. Its KS2 result was higher than 78% of England primary schools that published results in 2024/25. Its absence rate was lower than 64% of England schools in 2024/25. Results reflect each cohort as well as the school, so treat rankings as a starting point.
- What is Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School's absence rate?
- Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School's overall absence rate is 4.8% in the latest published census, at or below the England average of 6.2%.
- What are Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School's exam results?
- Where the Department for Education has published them, Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School's key stage results are shown in the results section on this page, with the last three years so you can see the trend rather than a single year.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 29 June 2026.