School Chooser

Netherhall School

Secondary · ages 11-18MixedCouncil894 pupilsSixth formMaryportCumberland
School Chooser Score
16
Below
similar schools
Likely range 11 to 22
Out of 100. Better than 28% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, April 2025
Strong pass in English and maths28%England 46%
Attendance93.4%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families37%Far more than most schools
Places159 spare894 pupils, 1,053 places
Pupils per teacher33.4School workforce census

Netherhall School is a council school in Maryport for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 894 pupils and room for 1,053. About 37 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 16 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 28% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Netherhall Road, Maryport, CA15 6NT01900 813434netherhall.cumbria.sch.ukMr David Tromans headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 29 April 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.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Requires improvement
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Requires improvement
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
2 March 2023UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

148 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score39.7
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths28%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths50%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.69In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 39.539.520182019: 40.040.020192022: 41.441.420222023: 39.239.220232024: 38.038.020242025: 39.739.72025
Since 2018: +0.2Steady overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018CumberlandEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 1114812711411495125
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 839.738.039.241.440.039.541.046.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.69-0.76-0.91-0.47-0.68
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths28%27%27%36%33%30%34%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths50%50%56%58%54%51%55%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score3.253.023.243.243.233.343.624.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry5%6%10%11%22%27%30%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged35.629.435.335.234.833.2
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged42.943.041.446.242.342.6
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers18.221.024.918.515.3
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers57.147.457.854.353.8

Subjects

Results came out for 17 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Food Preparation & Nutrition (6% here, 52% across England), History (25% here, 52% across England), English Literature (34% here, 58% across England), English Language (34% here, 54% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, computer science, music.
LanguagesFrench22

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics146 entries · 13th of 19 in Cumberland
38%England 53%
English Literature146 entries · 16th of 19 in Cumberland
34%England 58%
English Language146 entries · 16th of 19 in Cumberland
34%England 54%
Combined Science132 entries · 8th of 18 in Cumberland
27%England 36%
History83 entries · 15th of 16 in Cumberland
25%England 52%
Geography54 entries · 15th of 16 in Cumberland
37%England 51%
Art and Design34 entries · 9th of 14 in Cumberland
53%England 58%
Religious Studies28 entries · 5th of 7 in Cumberland
50%England 60%
French22 entries · 6th of 8 in Cumberland
59%England 60%
Physical Education21 entries · 2nd of 9 in Cumberland
67%England 56%
Business21 entries · 8th of 9 in Cumberland
33%England 51%
6%England 52%
Music15 entries
53%England 61%
Physics14 entries
50%England 82%
Biology14 entries
43%England 82%
Chemistry14 entries
50%England 81%
8%England 56%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics1464%38%64%53%2,597 of 3,211
English Literature1465%34%51%58%2,960 of 3,202
English Language1468%34%52%54%2,897 of 3,210
Combined Science1325%27%45%36%2,152 of 3,084
History835%25%39%52%2,934 of 3,126
Geography5411%37%48%51%2,281 of 3,116
Art and Design3412%53%74%58%1,703 of 2,818
Religious Studies2818%50%82%60%1,346 of 1,825
French2232%59%68%60%1,108 of 1,974
Physical Education2110%67%81%56%523 of 1,559
Business210%33%62%51%1,394 of 1,806
Food Preparation & Nutrition180%6%28%52%
Music1513%53%60%61%
Physics1414%50%71%82%
Biology147%43%93%82%
Chemistry147%50%57%81%
Computer Science128%8%42%56%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

48 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeC30.1 points per entry
A level progress+0.03Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better0%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished93%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students484242489673
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry30.1328.2124.3132.2629.1331.91
Average A level gradeCC-D+C+CC+
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS34.6235.2423.3335.1031.6736.30
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects0%14%0%12%0%11%
A level progressA level value added+0.03-0.12-0.20+0.12
Applied general courses: points per entry35.1637.1030.3443.06
T levels: points per entry34.2933.0036.1140.00
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed93%58%91%100%77%86%

A level subjects

8 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsGeography11Mathematics10Fine Art9English Literature8Religious Studies8Art and Design6History5Biology5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Geography11 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
9%England 51%
Mathematics10 entries · 0% A* or A · 80% passed
20%England 60%
Fine Art9 entries · 44% A* or A · 100% passed
56%England 65%
English Literature8 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
25%England 52%
Religious Studies8 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
25%England 50%
Art and Design6 entries · 50% A* or A · 100% passed
67%England 60%
History5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 55%
Biology5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 49%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 3 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
35.642.9
Gap 7.3England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
22%33%
Gap 11 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
36.443.9
Gap 7.5England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test.

Plenty of spare places871 pupils for 1,138 places, 2024/25
77% full

267 places were empty (24% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 18% 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.

Pupils on roll894Census January 2026
Places1,05385% full
Pupils from low-income families36%37% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English3%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support25%220 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%40 pupils with a plan
Average class size22.937 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils19%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)35%£316,800 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls421 / 473
White British pupils95%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Specific learning difficulty (184), Autistic spectrum disorder (32), emotional and mental health (21), language and communications needs (7), Physical disability (4), Other difficulty or disability (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll894874828794743704
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals36%37%37%34%33%30%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language3%2%2%2%3%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support22%17%7%7%8%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%4%4%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.4% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance93.4%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school19.4%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils6.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.6%6.5%9.4%11.6%6.3%5.5%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.8%4.8%7.4%8.6%4.8%4.2%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.8%1.8%2.0%3.0%1.5%1.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence19.4%19.2%34.2%42.0%18.5%14.9%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate6.06.45.316.618.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00021

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 114 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training92%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 88%, compared with 95% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training92%83%87%92%
Education76%68%77%83%
Apprenticeship11%9%6%6%
Work5%6%4%3%
Not in education, work or training6%14%11%7%

After sixth form

Where the 41 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training85%and stayed there for at least six months

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training61%England 72%
Top-third universities9%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship27%England 6%
Higher technical course0%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 64% went on to degree-level study or training and 9% to a top-third university.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training85%92%85%
Education44%46%51%
Apprenticeship27%23%22%10%
Work15%23%12%
Not in education, work or training7%8%10%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers26.8full-time equivalent, 28 people
Pupils per teacher33.4Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers89%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants7.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,183
Teachers who left in the year64%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.72023/24

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£9,309England £8,524. Total £8.1m
Income per pupil£8,580England £8,454. Total £7.5m
Spent on teachers per pupil£5,468England £4,610
Money in reserve-32%In the red: -£2.4m, -£2,760 per pupil. England 5%
Money in against money out-£637kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£9,309spent per pupil

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

Crimes within 500 m912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate78 per 1,000 people14% lower than the England average

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 secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored

No other schools of this phase within 8 km.

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Netherhall School with the 50 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 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats28%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 16 is 13 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 29 · highest 75100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Netherhall School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Benedict's Catholic High SchoolRoman Catholic12.4 miles990Not inspected23Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 16 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 16% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 11 to 22. 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 atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%below
-0.17
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 148 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.27
Ofsted grade, 1.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.25
DfE progress measure; 148 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.08
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.06
2024/25; 834 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.12
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 148 pupils
What pupils do next5%in line
-0.01
114 pupils
What parents say0%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 Netherhall School a good school?

The figures are weak. Netherhall School scores 16 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 28% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 11 to 22, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Netherhall School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Netherhall School not judged at its last full inspection on 29 April 2025.

How good are Netherhall School's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 28% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 39.7, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Netherhall School have?

894 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,053 places, so it is 85% full.

Is Netherhall School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 267 places were empty in 2024/25 (24% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Netherhall School?

Pupils were in school 93.4% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 19% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Netherhall School?

The average class had 22.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 19% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Netherhall School have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C. 8 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Netherhall Road, Maryport, CA15 6NT
Telephone
01900 813434
Website
www.netherhall.cumbria.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr David Tromans
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Cumberland
Ward
Maryport North
Constituency
Penrith and Solway
Setting
Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 January 1900
URN
112382 · LAESTAB 9424104 · UKPRN 10004561

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from