St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle
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St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle is a converter academy in Carlisle for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 188 pupils and room for 210. About 33 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 53 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 67% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.
Victoria Road, Botcherby, Carlisle, CA1 2UE01228 818201st-cuthberts-carlisle.cumbria.sch.ukMr Charlie Long headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 30 March 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
20 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019† | 2018† | 2017† | Cumberland | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 20 | 21 | 23 | 11 | 9 | 10 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 60% | 43% | 48% | 64% | 56% | 40% | 56% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 10% | 0% | 13% | 9% | 0% | 0% | 6% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 105.0 | 100.0 | 102.0 | 102.0 | 102.0 | 102.0 | 104.7 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 106.0 | 99.0 | 104.0 | 104.0 | 97.0 | 99.0 | 103.0 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 107.0 | 101.0 | 102.0 | 104.0 | 98.0 | 102.0 | 104.1 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 80% | 52% | 65% | 73% | 67% | 60% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 75% | 52% | 78% | 73% | 56% | 50% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 75% | 76% | 70% | 82% | 56% | 60% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +2.2 | +0.4 | +2.7 | +2.2 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +3.0 | +2.2 | -1.7 | -0.7 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 57% | 22% | 42% | – | – | – | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 62% | 58% | 55% | – | – | – | – | – |
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 St Cuthbert's Catholic Community School, the school this one replaced in September 2021. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
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 4 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
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. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
36 places were empty (17% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 41% 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.
Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 7 pupils, for social, emotional and mental health.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Cumberland with social, emotional and mental health provision.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (11), Moderate learning difficulty (6), Autistic spectrum disorder (4), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (4), Specific learning difficulty (3), language and communications needs (3).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 188 | 184 | 168 | 137 | 133 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 33% | 32% | 31% | 34% | 35% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 29% | 32% | 30% | 35% | 36% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 14% | 7% | 10% | 17% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 7% | 2% | 3% | 5% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.8% 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 | 7.2% | 7.0% | 8.3% | 7.6% | 8.1% | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.5% | 3.5% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 2.9% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 3.7% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2.5% | 2.9% | 1.4% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 20.9% | 23.5% | 28.2% | 25.8% | 24.1% | 10.8% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 6.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 | – | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for St Cuthbert's Catholic Community School, the school this one replaced in September 2021. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norman Street Primary School | Council | 1000 m | 322 | Good 2024 | 22 | Compare |
| Brook Street Primary School | Council | 0.7 miles | 228 | Report card 2026 | 14 | Compare |
| Inglewood Junior School | Council | 0.8 miles | 229 | Report card 2026 | 11 | Compare |
| Inglewood Infant School | Council | 0.9 miles | 267 | Good 2023 | 8 | Compare |
| Pennine Way Primary School | Council | 0.9 miles | 558 | Good 2022 | 18 | Compare |
| Scotby CofE Primary School | Foundation | 1.0 miles | 215 | Good 2022 | 81 | Compare |
| The Bishop Harvey Goodwin School (Church of England Voluntary Aided) | Church of England | 1.2 miles | 139 | Good 2024 | 8 | Compare |
| Petteril Bank School | Academy | 1.4 miles | 147 | Report card 2026 | 28 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle 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 53 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 53% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 25 to 79. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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% | below | -0.09 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 20 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 3.5 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | above | +0.16 | DfE progress measure; 20 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well above | +0.11 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well below | -0.11 | 2024/25; 158 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | below | -0.04 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 20 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 St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle a good school?
It is about average. St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle scores 53 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 67% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 25 to 79, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.
What is St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle good at its last full inspection on 30 March 2023.
How good are St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 60% 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 St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle have?
188 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 90% full.
Is St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle oversubscribed?
Probably not. 36 places were empty in 2024/25 (17% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle?
Pupils were in school 92.8% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 21% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
Does St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for social, emotional and mental health. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Victoria Road, Botcherby, Carlisle, CA1 2UE
- Telephone
- 01228 818201
- Website
- www.st-cuthberts-carlisle.cumbria.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Mr Charlie Long
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic, Diocese of Lancaster
- Multi-academy trust
- Mater Christi Multi-Academy Trust (16 schools)
- Local authority
- Cumberland
- Ward
- Botcherby
- Constituency
- Carlisle
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2021 (academy converter)
- URN
- 148700 · LAESTAB 9423653 · UKPRN 10088888
- Formerly
- St Cuthbert's Catholic Community 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.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 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.