Culgaith CofE School
Culgaith, Penrith, CA10 1QL
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Ages
- 2 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Headteacher
- Mrs Lynn Dobinson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Carlisle
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Constituency
- Penrith and Solway
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Capacity
- 64
- Pupils on roll
- 56
- URN
- 112302
- Local authority
- Westmorland and Furness
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 0176888655
About this school
Culgaith CofE School is a Church of England voluntary aided primary school in Penrith. It teaches children aged 2 to 11 and has 56 pupils on roll.
You can read Ofsted's latest judgement for the school 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
Overall judgement at the last full inspection
This inspection took place under the previous framework, which gave a single overall grade. Ofsted now publishes report cards instead, so newer inspections of other schools will look different. How Ofsted report cards work
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Effective
Exam results
Key stage 2 (end of primary school)
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of key stage 2 | 6 | 9 | 4 |
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 67% | 56% | - |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 11% | - |
| Expected standard in reading | 83% | 78% | - |
| Expected standard in maths | 67% | 78% | - |
| Expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling | 67% | 56% | - |
| Average scaled score in reading | 104.0 | 106.0 | - |
| Average scaled score in maths | 104.0 | 102.0 | - |
Trends over time
How Culgaith CofE 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 | Westmorland and Furness average | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 67% | 60.6% | 57.9% |
| 2023/24 | 56% | 57% | 58.8% |
| 2024/25 | — | 56.5% | 60.3% |
Department for Education KS2 performance data, published school results.
| Year | This school | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 4.5% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 3.3% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 4.3% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 40 |
| 2023/24 | 51 |
| 2024/25 | 52 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
How Culgaith CofE School compares
Its absence rate was lower than 79% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | — | 4.3% | 8.7% | 56 | — |
| Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School | 75% | 4.8% | 6.5% | 49 | 1.9 miles |
| Milburn School | — | 9% | 21.4% | 19 | 2.7 miles |
| Kirkby Thore School | — | 6.8% | 16.1% | 33 | 2.8 miles |
| Langwathby CofE Primary School | 63% | 3.4% | 6.8% | 169 | 3.8 miles |
| Long Marton School | 31% | 3.5% | 12% | 81 | 4.6 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.
Inspection history
- 7 November 2023
-
Ungraded inspection report30 November 2021
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 8.7%
- English as an additional language
- 1.9%
- Overall absence
- 4.25%
- Persistent absence
- 14.29%
Location
Nearby schools
-
Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School1.9 miles
Primary · Penrith
-
Milburn School2.7 miles
Primary · Penrith
-
Kirkby Thore School2.8 miles
Primary · Penrith
-
Langwathby CofE Primary School3.8 miles
Primary · Penrith
-
Long Marton School4.6 miles
Primary · Appleby-in-Westmorland
Other schools in Penrith
- Beaconside CofE Primary School Primary
- Brunswick School Primary
- Calthwaite CofE School Primary
- Clifton Primary School Primary
- Crosby Ravensworth 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
- Milburn School Primary
Common questions
- What year groups does Culgaith CofE School teach?
- Culgaith CofE School teaches children aged 2 to 11. It is a primary school in Penrith.
- Who is the headteacher of Culgaith CofE School?
- The headteacher of Culgaith CofE School is Mrs Lynn Dobinson, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- When was Culgaith CofE School last inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Culgaith CofE 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 big is Culgaith CofE School?
- Culgaith CofE School has 56 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 2 to 11.
- Is Culgaith CofE School full?
- Culgaith CofE School has capacity for 64 pupils and 56 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 Culgaith CofE School a faith school?
- Yes. Culgaith CofE School is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of Carlisle.
- Does Culgaith CofE School have a nursery?
- Yes. The schools register records Culgaith CofE School as having nursery classes.
- How have Culgaith CofE School's results changed over recent years?
- Its share of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths was 67% in 2022/23 and 56% in 2023/24. The year-by-year figures, alongside local and national averages, are charted in the trends section on this page.
- What is Culgaith CofE School's absence rate?
- Culgaith CofE School's overall absence rate is 4.3% in the latest published census, at or below the England average of 6.2%.
- What are Culgaith CofE School's exam results?
- Where the Department for Education has published them, Culgaith CofE 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.