School Chooser

St Patrick's Catholic Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedRoman Catholic271 pupilsCleator MoorCumberland
School Chooser Score
56
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 32 to 77
Out of 100. Better than 81% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, October 2019
Reached the expected level at 1170%England 63%
Attendance95.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families30%A bit more than most schools
PlacesFull271 pupils, 270 places
Pupils per teacher17.6School workforce census

St Patrick's Catholic Primary School is a Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) in Cleator Moor for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 271 pupils, 1 more than it has places for. About 30 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 56 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 81% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2019.

Todholes Road, Cleator Moor, CA25 5DG01946 810513st-pats.co.ukLisa / Gayle Pritchard / Wilkinson headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 8 October 2019, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A later, shorter visit on 12 July 2024 said: “School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next”.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Outstanding
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

This inspection is more than 6 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
12 July 2024UngradedSchool remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1170%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level3%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score107.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 69%69%20172018: 77%77%20182019: 68%68%20192023: 60%60%20232024: 67%67%20242025: 70%70%2025
Since 2017: +1%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017CumberlandEngland
Pupils tested334535283135
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths70%67%60%68%77%69%56%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths3%11%6%11%13%11%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score107.0106.0106.0106.0108.0104.0104.7105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0105.0102.0104.0104.0106.0103.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score106.0104.0102.0106.0106.0107.0104.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard88%82%91%86%97%77%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard85%80%60%75%81%89%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)79%76%80%86%84%77%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.2+1.0+1.5+0.1
Maths progressMaths progress score-3.3-0.8-1.3+1.5
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged43%39%46%38%80%64%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged89%85%68%80%76%71%

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. 1 of the 3 gaps is 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
43%89%
Gap 46 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
53%88%
Gap 35 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
7%3%
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. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Nearly full265 pupils for 270 places, 2024/25
98% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have grown by 11% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

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 roll271Census January 2026
Places270100% full
Pupils from low-income families30%30% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English4%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support21%56 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan8%21 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.05 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)28%£117,800 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls148 / 123
White British pupils94%

Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 11 pupils, for autism.

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 autism provision.

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (40), Specific learning difficulty (18), language and communications needs (12), emotional and mental health (5), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (1), Severe learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll271262259259236256
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals30%31%32%34%31%29%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language4%4%4%3%4%3%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support21%24%22%24%16%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans6%6%3%2%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school10.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.92024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.0%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.8%5.0%6.4%6.1%2.6%3.8%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.8%3.5%5.1%4.7%2.1%2.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.0%1.5%1.3%1.4%0.5%1.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence10.2%11.3%25.5%15.1%2.9%4.1%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.90.00.41.70.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers15.4full-time equivalent, 17 people
Pupils per teacher17.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants12.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,145
Teachers who left in the year23%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher1.42024/25

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£7,375England £7,738. Total £1.9m
Income per pupil£7,411England £7,697. Total £1.9m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,408England £3,480
Money in reserve4%Not much put by: £76k, £290 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£9,337it took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,375spent 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 m19412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate68 per 1,000 people25% 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
Montreal CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England360 m107Not inspected5Compare
Moor Row Community Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles72Good 202421Compare
St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic2.0 miles55Not inspectedCompare
Frizington Community Primary SchoolCouncil2.2 miles109Good 202376Compare
St Bridget's Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic2.4 miles198Good 202354Compare
Orgill Primary SchoolCouncil2.5 miles228Report card 20268Compare
Hensingham Primary SchoolAcademy2.5 miles120Good 202422Compare
Valley Primary School and NurseryCouncil2.6 miles286Good 20248Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Patrick's Catholic Primary School with the 47 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 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats81%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the top quarter of its group. Its score of 56 is 15 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 41 · highest 88100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 56 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 56% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 32 to 77. 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
-0.02
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 33 pupils
Ofsted inspection11% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 6.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.05
DfE progress measure; 33 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.04
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.03
2024/25; 216 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.05
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 33 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 St Patrick's Catholic Primary School a good school?

It is about average. St Patrick's Catholic Primary School scores 56 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 81% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 32 to 77, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St Patrick's Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Patrick's Catholic Primary School good at its last full inspection on 8 October 2019. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.

How good are St Patrick's Catholic Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 70% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Patrick's Catholic Primary School have?

271 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 270 places, so it is 100% full.

Is St Patrick's Catholic Primary School oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

What is attendance like at St Patrick's Catholic Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 10% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Patrick's Catholic Primary School?

The average class had 25.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does St Patrick's Catholic Primary School have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for autism. 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
Todholes Road, Cleator Moor, CA25 5DG
Telephone
01946 810513
Website
www.st-pats.co.uk
Headteacher
Lisa / Gayle Pritchard / Wilkinson
Type of school
Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Diocese of Lancaster
Local authority
Cumberland
Ward
Cleator Moor West
Constituency
Whitehaven and Workington
Setting
Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2001 (result of amalgamation)
URN
132835 · LAESTAB 9422717 · UKPRN 10074194
Formerly
St Patrick's Catholic Junior School, St Patrick's Catholic Infant School

Where these figures come from