Best primary schools in Carlisle (2026)
Carlisle has 18 ranked primary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Kingmoor Junior School, in the top 40% in England. The average reading, writing & maths here in 2025 was 53%, against 62% for England. 0 are in England's top 10%, and 0 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
| Rank | School | Reading, writing & maths (2023–2025 average) | Reading, writing & maths 2025 | Trend | Higher standard | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 40% in England |
Kingmoor Junior School Carlisle |
64% | 60% | 8% | Report card | |
2 Top 45% in England |
Belle Vue Primary School Carlisle |
66% | 69% | 2% | Not judged | |
3 Bottom 50% in England |
St Margaret Mary Catholic Primary School, Carlisle Carlisle · Roman Catholic |
63% | 41% | 7% | Not judged | |
4 Bottom 48% in England |
Pennine Way Primary School Carlisle |
61% | 51% | 6% | No rating | |
5 Bottom 37% in England |
Norman Street Primary School Carlisle |
56% | 59% | 7% | No rating | |
6 Bottom 27% in England |
Stanwix School Carlisle |
55% | 55% | 3% | No rating | |
7 Bottom 24% in England |
Caldew Lea School Carlisle |
52% | 56% | 7% | Good | |
8 Bottom 23% in England |
Yewdale School Carlisle |
52% | 68% | 8% | No rating | |
9 Bottom 22% in England |
Upperby Primary School Carlisle |
53% | 61% | 6% | Good | |
10 Bottom 22% in England |
St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, Carlisle Carlisle · Roman Catholic |
50% | 60% | 10% | No rating | |
11 Bottom 13% in England |
Newlaithes Junior School Carlisle |
49% | 50% | 0% | Good | |
12 Bottom 13% in England |
Robert Ferguson Primary School Carlisle |
47% | 38% | 2% | No rating | |
13 Bottom 13% in England |
St Bede's Catholic Primary School Carlisle · Roman Catholic |
45% | 57% | 10% | Not judged | |
14 Bottom 7% in England |
Inglewood Junior School Carlisle |
43% | 46% | 0% | Report card | |
15 Bottom 6% in England |
Newtown Primary School Carlisle |
41% | 55% | 3% | Not judged | |
16 Bottom 6% in England |
Brook Street Primary School Carlisle |
39% | 43% | 7% | Report card | |
17 Bottom 6% in England |
The Bishop Harvey Goodwin School (Church of England Voluntary Aided) Carlisle · Church of England |
41% | 43% | 0% | Good | |
18 Bottom 2% in England |
Petteril Bank School Carlisle |
31% | 50% | 0% | Report card |
Other towns in Cumbria
Also see
Questions
What is the best primary school in Carlisle?
On exam results over the last three years, Kingmoor Junior School is the top-ranked primary school in Carlisle, in the top 40% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.