Kirkby Thore School
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Kirkby Thore School is a sponsored academy in Penrith for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 33 pupils and room for 70. About 9 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 0 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 7% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inadequate, back in 2023.
Kirkby Thore, Penrith, CA10 1UU01768 361497kirkbythore.educationMrs Jennifer Robinson headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 8 March 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Inadequate overall.
Ofsted has serious worries about this school. It is in special measures.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
4 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† | Westmorland and Furness | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 4 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 6 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | – | – | – | 30% | 30% | 50% | 58% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | – | – | – | 0% | 0% | 17% | 7% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | – | – | – | 99.0 | 101.0 | 99.0 | 105.2 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | – | – | – | 99.0 | 97.0 | 101.0 | 104.1 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | – | – | – | 100.0 | 98.0 | 101.0 | 104.5 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | – | – | – | 40% | 40% | 50% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | – | – | – | 50% | 30% | 67% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | – | – | – | 50% | 40% | 67% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | – | -3.5 | -3.7 | -6.3 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | – | -3.1 | -7.0 | -4.1 | – | – |
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.
† These results are for Kirkby Thore School, the school this one replaced in April 2024. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published.
39 places were empty (56% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in.
In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.
We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.
How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place.
| Entry | Applied at all | Got a place | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Primary | 5 | 4 | – all offered | LA |
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.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (1), Specific learning difficulty (1), language and communications needs (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 33 | 34 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 9% | 15% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 6% | 6% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 18% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 0% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.2% 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 | 6.8% | 8.4% | 7.5% | 9.7% | 5.6% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 5.5% | 6.7% | 7.0% | 8.4% | 4.2% | 2.4% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.3% | 1.7% | 0.5% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 1.2% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 7.1% | 24.1% | 22.6% | 32.4% | 18.0% | 2.1% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 2.9 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for Kirkby Thore School, the school this one replaced in April 2024. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School | Church of England | 1.6 miles | 49 | Good 2023 | 46 | Compare |
| Bolton Primary School | Council | 1.9 miles | 56 | Good 2023 | 34 | Compare |
| Long Marton School | Council | 2.0 miles | 81 | Good 2024 | 15 | Compare |
| Milburn School | Council | 2.4 miles | 19 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Culgaith CofE School | Church of England | 2.8 miles | 56 | Good 2023 | 61 | Compare |
| Morland Area CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.4 miles | 119 | No overall grade 2024 | 81 | Compare |
| Appleby Primary School | Foundation | 4.6 miles | 163 | Good 2024 | 48 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Kirkby Thore 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 0 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 0% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 0 to 1. 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 | 0% | no data | – | |
| Ofsted inspection | 19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | well below | -1.96 | Ofsted grade, 3.5 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 0% | no data | – | |
| Direction of travel over five years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | in line | -0.01 | 2024/25; 28 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 0% | no data | – | |
| 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 Kirkby Thore School a good school?
The figures are weak. Kirkby Thore School scores 0 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 7% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 0 to 1, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Kirkby Thore School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Kirkby Thore School inadequate at its last full inspection on 8 March 2023.
How many pupils does Kirkby Thore School have?
33 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 70 places, so it is 47% full.
Is Kirkby Thore School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 39 places were empty in 2024/25 (56% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Kirkby Thore School?
Pupils were in school 93.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 7% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Kirkby Thore School?
The average class had 16.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class 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
- Kirkby Thore, Penrith, CA10 1UU
- Telephone
- 01768 361497
- Website
- www.kirkbythore.education
- Headteacher
- Mrs Jennifer Robinson
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- Changing Lives Learning Trust (9 schools)
- Local authority
- Westmorland and Furness
- Ward
- Eden and Lyvennet Vale
- Constituency
- Westmorland and Lonsdale
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 April 2024 (new provision)
- URN
- 150507 · LAESTAB 9432001 · UKPRN 10094326
- Formerly
- Kirkby Thore School
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.
- Admissions outcomes: Westmorland and Furness council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2026.
- 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.