Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School
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Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled) in Cockermouth for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 146 pupils and room for 150. About 0 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 95 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 89% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.
Dovenby, Cumbria, Bridekirk Dovenby School, Cockermouth, CA13 0PG01900 829889bridekirkdovenby.cumbria.sch.ukMrs Julia Fish headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 21 January 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
15 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Cumberland | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 15 | 23 | 27 | 17 | 19 | 25 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 87% | 78% | 89% | 88% | 84% | 84% | 56% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 20% | 26% | 19% | 29% | 16% | 44% | 6% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 107.0 | 111.0 | 108.0 | 111.0 | 111.0 | 111.0 | 104.7 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 106.0 | 108.0 | 107.0 | 112.0 | 109.0 | 109.0 | 103.0 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 103.0 | 110.0 | 108.0 | 112.0 | 112.0 | 111.0 | 104.1 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 93% | 100% | 89% | 88% | 95% | 88% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 87% | 87% | 93% | 94% | 89% | 92% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 93% | 91% | 89% | 94% | 84% | 88% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +1.2 | +2.5 | +3.9 | +2.4 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +0.9 | +3.0 | +2.8 | +2.3 | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
The school is full, with 13 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have fallen by 13% since 2021/22.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Cumberland council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 32.0 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (6), Autistic spectrum disorder (5), language and communications needs (4), Moderate learning difficulty (1), Physical disability (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 146 | 132 | 135 | 141 | 150 | 150 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 8% | 7% | 9% | 9% | 8% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 6% | 4% | 3% | 5% | 3% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 97.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 2.5% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 5.1% | 1.9% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 2.1% | 3.1% | 4.0% | 4.6% | 1.7% | 2.1% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.6% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 1.6% | 5.0% | 6.8% | 6.7% | 3.9% | 2.3% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield Primary School | Academy | 2.0 miles | 455 | Good 2023 | 86 | Compare |
| All Saints' CofE School | Academy | 2.3 miles | – | No overall grade 2025 | – | Compare |
| Broughton Primary School | Academy | 2.3 miles | 146 | Good 2024 | 86 | Compare |
| St Bridget's CofE School | Church of England | 2.5 miles | 82 | Good 2023 | 18 | Compare |
| Dearham Primary School | Academy | 2.7 miles | 202 | No overall grade 2025 | 19 | Compare |
| Broughton Moor Primary School | Academy | 3.1 miles | – | Requires improvement 2023 | – | Compare |
| Eaglesfield Paddle CofE Primary Academy | Academy | 3.5 miles | 193 | Good 2023 | 88 | Compare |
| Crosscanonby St John's CofE School | Church of England | 3.6 miles | 51 | Good 2024 | 1 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School with the 46 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 95 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 95% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 87 to 98. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | above | +0.22 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 15 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | well above | +0.31 | Ofsted grade, 1.6 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | above | +0.08 | DfE progress measure; 15 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | in line | -0.02 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well above | +0.16 | 2024/25; 125 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well above | +0.15 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 15 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School scores 95 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 89% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 87 to 98, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 21 January 2025.
How good are Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 87% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 20% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.
How many pupils does Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School have?
146 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 150 places, so it is 97% full.
Is Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School oversubscribed?
Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 13 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.
What is attendance like at Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School?
Pupils were in school 97.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 2% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School?
The average class had 29.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 33% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Dovenby, Cumbria, Bridekirk Dovenby School, Cockermouth, CA13 0PG
- Telephone
- 01900 829889
- Website
- www.bridekirkdovenby.cumbria.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Julia Fish
- Type of school
- Church of England school (voluntary controlled) (Voluntary controlled school, local authority maintained schools)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 4-11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of Carlisle
- Local authority
- Cumberland
- Ward
- Dearham and Broughton
- Constituency
- Penrith and Solway
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- URN
- 112270 · LAESTAB 9423100 · UKPRN 10074926
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, consistent financial reporting 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.