School Chooser

Richmond Hill School

Primary · ages 2-11MixedCouncil205 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubWigtonCumberland
School Chooser Score
15
Below
similar schools
Likely range 7 to 33
Out of 100. Better than 27% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNeeds attention teachingOfsted report card, February 2026
Reached the expected level at 1159%England 63%
Attendance95.1%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families30%A bit more than most schools
Parents would recommend92%37 Parent View responses
Places35 spare205 pupils, 240 places

Richmond Hill School is a council school in Wigton for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 205 pupils and room for 240. About 30 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 15 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 27% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in February 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Queen Street, Aspatria, Wigton, CA7 3BQ01697 320650richmondhillprimary.co.ukMrs Rachel Blair headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 10 February 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
Needs attention
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
Needs attention
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
11 November 2021UngradedSchool remains Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

29 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1159%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level10%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score108.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 86%86%20172018: 56%56%20182019: 71%71%20192023: 75%75%20232024: 67%67%20242025: 59%59%2025
Since 2017: -27%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017CumberlandEngland
Pupils tested292420282523
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths59%67%75%71%56%86%56%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths10%4%0%18%4%5%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0104.0106.0106.0103.0107.0104.7105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score108.0106.0109.0107.0105.0106.0103.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score109.0109.0110.0106.0105.0108.0104.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard66%71%75%82%64%87%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard79%83%90%89%84%91%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)69%75%80%86%72%91%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.1+2.7-2.1+1.6
Maths progressMaths progress score+1.3+2.7+0.8+1.7
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged50%44%71%57%44%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged69%80%77%76%63%

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.

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 the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
50%69%
Gap 19 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
55%61%
Gap 6 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
6%10%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 5 pts
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

Admissions policy not published.

Plenty of spare places165 pupils for 204 places, 2024/25
81% full

39 places were empty (19% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 8% 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.

What parents say

Would recommend the school92%England 87%
My child is happy here92%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe92%
Positive overall88%
My child is happy at this school
92%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
92%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
84%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
19% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
57%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
92%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
22% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
63%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
87%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
65%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
92%England 82%
I would recommend this school
92%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
88%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 37 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

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 roll205Census January 2026
Places24085% full
Pupils from low-income families27%30% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English1%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support12%25 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%3 pupils with a plan
Average class size22.89 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)34%£83,700 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls112 / 93
White British pupils93%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 21.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 25.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Specific learning difficulty (10), language and communications needs (9), emotional and mental health (6), Autistic spectrum disorder (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll205203204188194215
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals27%30%29%22%21%21%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language1%1%1%1%1%1%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support12%10%12%10%9%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%2%3%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.1%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school13.3%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils5.92024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission1.5%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.9%6.1%7.1%7.0%3.0%4.9%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.4%4.0%4.6%5.0%2.0%3.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.5%2.1%2.5%2.0%1.0%1.2%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence13.3%14.9%25.0%24.8%4.7%7.2%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate5.93.40.50.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions10000

Staff and money

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

Teachers9.5full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher19.7Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.4full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£46,685
Teachers who left in the year9%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher4.52024/25

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.

Spend per pupil£6,921England £7,738. Total £1.3m
Income per pupil£7,149England £7,697. Total £1.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,386England £3,480
Money in reserve3%Not much put by: £42k, £231 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£42kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,921spent 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 m13712 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate45 per 1,000 people51% 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 primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Matthew's CofE SchoolChurch of England1.6 miles51Good 202372Compare
Blennerhasset SchoolCouncil1.8 miles60Good 20234Compare
Plumbland CofE SchoolChurch of England1.9 miles53Report card 20264Compare
Oughterside Primary SchoolFoundation2.1 miles69Good 202431Compare
St Michael's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England2.6 miles45Good 202424Compare
Holme St Cuthbert SchoolCouncil4.2 miles21Good 202433Compare
Allonby Primary SchoolCouncil4.3 miles27Good 20245Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Richmond Hill School with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats27%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 15 is 18 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 4 · middle 34 · highest 94100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 15 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 15% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 7 to 33. 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 years25%in line
-0.01
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 29 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.46
Ofsted report card, 0.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.09
DfE progress measure; 29 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.05
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.00
2024/25; 151 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 29 pupils
What parents say5%above
+0.02
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 37 responses

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 Richmond Hill School a good school?

The figures are weak. Richmond Hill School scores 15 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 27% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 7 to 33, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Richmond Hill School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 10 February 2026 it rated teaching as needs attention, achievement as needs attention, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as needs attention.

How good are Richmond Hill School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 59% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 10% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Richmond Hill School have?

205 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 240 places, so it is 85% full.

Is Richmond Hill School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 39 places were empty in 2024/25 (19% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Richmond Hill School?

Pupils were in school 95.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 13% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Richmond Hill School?

92% of the 37 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 92% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Richmond Hill School?

The average class had 22.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Richmond Hill School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Queen Street, Aspatria, Wigton, CA7 3BQ
Telephone
01697 320650
Website
www.richmondhillprimary.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Rachel Blair
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Cumberland
Ward
Aspatria
Constituency
Penrith and Solway
Setting
Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
112127 · LAESTAB 9422071 · UKPRN 10077279

Where these figures come from