Best primary schools in Cumbria (2026)

Cumbria has 174 ranked primary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Yarlside Academy, in the top 1% in England. The average reading, writing & maths here in 2025 was 57%, against 62% for England. 8 are in England's top 10%, and 5 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

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Rank	School	Reading, writing & maths (2023–2025 average)	Reading, writing & maths 2025	Higher standard	Ofsted
1 Top 1% in England	Yarlside Academy Barrow-in-Furness	94%	97%	25%	Not judged
2 Top 3% in England	Yanwath Primary School Westmorland and Furness	87%	100%	33%	Report card
3 Top 4% in England	Bridekirk Dovenby CofE Primary School Cumberland · Church of England	85%	87%	20%	Not judged
4 Top 6% in England	Stoneraise School Cumberland	85%	90%	25%	Report card
5 Top 6% in England	St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School Wigton · Roman Catholic	91%	91%	0%	No rating
6 Top 7% in England	Arnside National CofE School Arnside · Church of England	83%	88%	18%	Good
7 Top 8% in England	Bookwell Primary School Egremont	81%	80%	20%	Outstanding
8 Top 10% in England	Holme Primary School Holme (Westmorland and Furness)	79%	89%	11%	No rating
9 Top 11% in England	St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Ulverston Ulverston · Roman Catholic	80%	65%	0%	Report card
10 Top 11% in England	Armathwaite School Westmorland and Furness	75%	80%	20%	No rating
11 Top 12% in England	Lanercost CofE Primary School Cumberland · Church of England	74%	82%	36%	Outstanding
12 Top 13% in England	Jericho Primary School Whitehaven	81%	89%	2%	Good
13 Top 13% in England	St Mary's Catholic Primary School Whitehaven · Roman Catholic	78%	76%	12%	Not judged
14 Top 13% in England	Eaglesfield Paddle CofE Primary Academy Cumberland · Church of England	76%	74%	22%	Good
15 Top 15% in England	St James' CofE Junior School Whitehaven · Church of England	76%	74%	13%	Report card
16 Top 16% in England	Fairfield Primary School Cockermouth	73%	83%	23%	No rating
17 Top 17% in England	Grasmere CofE Primary School Grasmere · Church of England	76%	80%	30%	Good
18 Top 17% in England	Milnthorpe Primary School Milnthorpe	76%	89%	6%	No rating
19 Top 20% in England	Ivegill CofE School Westmorland and Furness · Church of England	73%	77%	15%	Good
20 Top 20% in England	Grange CofE Primary School Grange-over-Sands · Church of England	73%	75%	13%	Good
21 Top 20% in England	Broughton Primary School Great Broughton and Little Broughton	71%	72%	17%	No rating
22 Top 21% in England	Crosthwaite CofE School Westmorland and Furness · Church of England	71%	80%	20%	No rating
23 Top 21% in England	Clifton Primary School Clifton (Westmorland and Furness)	74%	64%	0%	No rating
24 Top 22% in England	St Mary's CofE Primary School Kirkby Lonsdale · Church of England	73%	70%	7%	Not judged
25 Top 22% in England	Great Corby School and Nursery Cumberland	74%	80%	13%	No rating
26 Top 22% in England	Kirkby Stephen Primary School Kirkby Stephen	74%	77%	12%	No rating
27 Top 24% in England	Dean Gibson Catholic Primary School, Kendal Kendal · Roman Catholic	74%	75%	0%	No rating
28 Top 26% in England	Derwent Vale Primary and Nursery School Great Clifton	70%	67%	8%	No rating
29 Top 28% in England	Thursby Primary School Thursby	69%	74%	16%	No rating
30 Top 30% in England	Stramongate Primary School Kendal	71%	73%	2%	Not judged
31 Top 31% in England	Scotby CofE Primary School Scotby · Church of England	69%	78%	12%	Good
32 Top 31% in England	Penny Bridge CofE School Penny Bridge and Greenodd · Church of England	68%	58%	8%	Good
33 Top 34% in England	Goodly Dale Primary School Windermere	73%	73%	0%	Not judged
34 Top 34% in England	Ghyllside Primary School Kendal	69%	78%	3%	Not judged
35 Top 34% in England	Pennington CofE School Westmorland and Furness · Church of England	69%	65%	6%	Good
36 Top 34% in England	High Hesket CofE School Westmorland and Furness · Church of England	68%	52%	9%	Not judged
37 Top 35% in England	Holy Family Catholic Primary School Barrow-in-Furness · Roman Catholic	68%	62%	3%	No rating
38 Top 35% in England	Moresby Primary School Moresby Parks	68%	80%	10%	No rating
39 Top 36% in England	Gosforth CofE Primary School and Nursery Gosforth · Church of England	72%	81%	0%	Good
40 Top 37% in England	St Bridget's Catholic Primary School Egremont · Roman Catholic	70%	62%	0%	Good
41 Top 38% in England	St Patrick's CofE School Endmoor · Church of England	63%	71%	14%	No rating
42 Top 40% in England	Kingmoor Junior School Carlisle	64%	60%	8%	Report card
43 Top 40% in England	Raughton Head CofE School & Nursery Cumberland · Church of England	70%	70%	0%	No rating
44 Top 41% in England	Castle Carrock School Cumberland	66%	70%	0%	Good
45 Top 41% in England	Our Lady and St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Maryport Maryport · Roman Catholic	65%	54%	11%	Not judged
46 Top 41% in England	Houghton CofE School Houghton (Cumberland) · Church of England	65%	68%	11%	Report card
47 Top 42% in England	Richmond Hill School Aspatria	67%	59%	10%	Report card
48 Top 42% in England	St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Cleator Moor · Roman Catholic	66%	70%	3%	Good
49 Top 43% in England	Victoria Academy Barrow-in-Furness	65%	65%	10%	Outstanding
50 Top 43% in England	Hayton CofE Primary School Hayton (Cumberland) · Church of England	67%	88%	4%	Not judged
51 Top 45% in England	George Romney Junior School Dalton-in-Furness	67%	80%	7%	Outstanding
52 Top 45% in England	Belle Vue Primary School Carlisle	66%	69%	2%	Not judged
53 Top 45% in England	Brampton Primary School Brampton (Cumberland)	63%	60%	3%	No rating
54 Top 47% in England	St Mark's CofE Primary School Natland · Church of England	64%	79%	16%	No rating
55 Top 47% in England	St Bees Village Primary School St Bees	61%	61%	13%	No rating
56 Top 47% in England	Rockcliffe CofE School Cumberland · Church of England	63%	58%	4%	Good
57 Top 48% in England	Heron Hill Primary School Kendal	63%	69%	6%	No rating
58 Top 49% in England	Leven Valley CofE Primary School Backbarrow · Church of England	63%	64%	0%	Not judged
59 Top 49% in England	South Walney Junior School Barrow-in-Furness	65%	66%	0%	Report card
60 Top 49% in England	Dalton St Mary's CofE Primary School Dalton-in-Furness · Church of England	66%	70%	0%	No rating
61 Top 50% in England	St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Workington · Roman Catholic	62%	53%	6%	No rating
62 Top 50% in England	Westfield Nursery and Primary School Workington	62%	64%	7%	Good
63 Top 50% in England	Sir John Barrow School Ulverston	64%	72%	6%	Outstanding
64 Top 50% in England	Old Hutton CofE School Westmorland and Furness · Church of England	58%	54%	15%	Good
65 Bottom 50% in England	Allithwaite CofE Primary School Allithwaite · Church of England	63%	67%	7%	No rating
66 Bottom 50% in England	St Margaret Mary Catholic Primary School, Carlisle Carlisle · Roman Catholic	63%	41%	7%	Not judged
67 Bottom 50% in England	Storth CofE School Storth and Sandside · Church of England	60%	63%	0%	Report card
68 Bottom 49% in England	Parkside Academy Barrow-in-Furness	62%	71%	7%	Report card
69 Bottom 49% in England	St James' Catholic Primary School Millom · Roman Catholic	65%	64%	0%	No rating
70 Bottom 49% in England	St Thomas's CofE Primary School Kendal · Church of England	61%	48%	0%	Not judged
71 Bottom 48% in England	Longtown Primary School Longtown	63%	68%	3%	No rating
72 Bottom 48% in England	Pennine Way Primary School Carlisle	61%	51%	6%	No rating
73 Bottom 47% in England	Castle Park School Kendal	60%	66%	11%	Not judged
74 Bottom 47% in England	Grayrigg CofE School Westmorland and Furness · Church of England	61%	53%	13%	Good
75 Bottom 47% in England	St Mary's Catholic Primary School Workington · Roman Catholic	63%	69%	0%	Good
76 Bottom 47% in England	Warcop CofE Primary School Warcop · Church of England	60%	62%	15%	No rating
77 Bottom 45% in England	St Paul's CofE Junior School Barrow-in-Furness · Church of England	61%	44%	11%	No rating
78 Bottom 44% in England	Low Furness CofE Primary School Great Urswick · Church of England	62%	67%	0%	No rating
79 Bottom 42% in England	Wreay Church of England Primary School Cumberland · Church of England	61%	54%	8%	Good
80 Bottom 41% in England	Sedbergh Primary School Sedbergh	57%	35%	10%	Good
81 Bottom 41% in England	Staveley CofE School Staveley (Westmorland and Furness) · Church of England	60%	55%	0%	Not judged
82 Bottom 39% in England	Maryport CofE Primary School Maryport · Church of England	61%	45%	0%	Good
83 Bottom 39% in England	Beckstone Primary School Workington	60%	65%	2%	Good
84 Bottom 38% in England	Haverigg Primary School Haverigg	60%	50%	0%	Good
85 Bottom 37% in England	St Columba's School Barrow-in-Furness · Roman Catholic	58%	30%	0%	No rating
86 Bottom 37% in England	Norman Street Primary School Carlisle	56%	59%	7%	No rating
87 Bottom 35% in England	Beckermet CofE School Beckermet · Church of England	57%	50%	20%	No rating
88 Bottom 33% in England	Langwathby CofE Primary School Langwathby · Church of England	58%	63%	0%	No rating
89 Bottom 33% in England	Stainton CofE Primary School Stainton (Westmorland and Furness) · Church of England	57%	53%	0%	No rating
90 Bottom 33% in England	Burgh by Sands School Burgh-by-Sands	51%	50%	10%	No rating
91 Bottom 30% in England	Church Walk CofE Primary School Ulverston · Church of England	56%	69%	13%	Report card
92 Bottom 29% in England	Greengate Junior School Barrow-in-Furness	57%	60%	0%	Report card
93 Bottom 28% in England	St Herbert's CofE (VA) Primary and Nursery School Keswick · Church of England	53%	54%	8%	Good
94 Bottom 28% in England	Roose School Barrow-in-Furness	56%	57%	3%	Good
95 Bottom 28% in England	Dane Ghyll Community Primary School and Nursery Barrow-in-Furness	55%	65%	6%	Good
96 Bottom 27% in England	Stanwix School Carlisle	55%	55%	3%	No rating
97 Bottom 27% in England	Cumwhinton School Cumwhinton	52%	47%	7%	Good
98 Bottom 26% in England	Beaconside CofE Primary School Penrith · Church of England	54%	51%	1%	No rating
99 Bottom 24% in England	St Martin & St Mary Church of England Primary School Windermere · Church of England	53%	47%	2%	No rating
100 Bottom 24% in England	Caldew Lea School Carlisle	52%	56%	7%	Good

Showing the top 100 of 174. See all 174 and filter them.

Best primary school in each town

Barrow-in-Furness · best: Yarlside Academy
Egremont · best: Bookwell Primary School
Ulverston · best: St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Ulverston
Whitehaven · best: Jericho Primary School
Kendal · best: Dean Gibson Catholic Primary School, Kendal
Carlisle · best: Kingmoor Junior School
Maryport · best: Our Lady and St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Maryport
Workington · best: St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
Penrith · best: Beaconside CofE Primary School

Also see

Questions

What is the best primary school in Cumbria?

On exam results over the last three years, Yarlside Academy is the top-ranked primary school in Cumbria, in the top 1% 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.