Allithwaite CofE Primary School Review 2026: Village-scale Church of England primary with strong KS2 outcomes

Owl-named classes, an on-site nursery that sits alongside Reception, and a small-school feel define daily life here. Allithwaite CofE Primary School serves ages 3 to 11 and is a Church of England voluntary controlled school in Allithwaite, near Grange-over-Sands, with capacity for 116 pupils.

Leadership has been stable for a decade, with Mrs Gillian Elliott appointed headteacher in November 2015. The school’s Christian vision is expressed in plain language, “A Place of Love, Light, and Learning”, backed by a published set of values: Friendship, Courage, Hope, Creativity, Responsibility and Wisdom.

Academically, the published primary outcomes point to consistently high attainment, with a large majority of pupils meeting expected standards and a sizeable proportion exceeding them. On the FindMySchool ranking (based on official data), it sits 2,302nd in England and 1st locally in the Grange-over-Sands area for primary performance, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of primaries in England.

This is a Church of England primary where faith is part of the rhythm rather than an add-on. Biblical references appear directly within the school’s published vision, and the values are explicitly linked to relationships, play, curriculum work and enrichment. For families who want a school where collective worship and Christian language are normal, the tone is clear from the outset. For families who prefer a more secular framing, it is worth weighing how comfortable your child will be with faith language being used as the central narrative for community life.

Small-school dynamics matter here. Staff profiles show a tight team with named responsibilities, including a designated safeguarding lead role held by the headteacher and a SENDCo role within the senior team. Pupils are grouped into mixed-age classes with distinctive names (Snowy Owls, Tawny Owls, Barn Owls, Eagle Owls), which tends to reinforce identity and belonging in a setting where year groups are smaller than in a two-form entry primary.

The school also presents itself as explicitly community-facing. A previous formal review described the school as a community hub, with older pupils supporting younger pupils, and pupil leadership linked to practical local projects such as road safety. Current school messaging continues that theme through “Allithwaite Buddies”, School Council, and charitable work supporting Children of Hope in Uganda.

A final character note is physical context. Historic England lists an “Old School House” associated with the school as a Grade II listed building, first listed on 15 February 1989. You should not expect heritage to dominate day-to-day teaching, but it does signal that the setting has continuity and local significance.

The results profile is strong across the headline measures parents usually look for at key stage 2.

• Expected standard (reading, writing and maths combined): 78% of pupils met the expected standard, compared with an England average of 62%.

• Higher standard (reading, writing and maths): 33% achieved the higher standard, compared with an England average of 8%.

• Scaled scores: Reading 108; Maths 106; GPS (grammar, punctuation and spelling) 109.

• Science: 100% met the expected standard, compared with an England average of 82%.

These figures suggest two things at once. First, the core basics are securely taught for most pupils. Second, there is a meaningful cohort pushed beyond the minimum bar, not just supported to clear it.

Rankings provide another way to contextualise this. Ranked 2,302nd in England and 1st in the Grange-over-Sands area for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), the school sits above the England average, within the top 25% of primaries in England.

One caution for interpretation is scale. With a small cohort, year-to-year percentages can move more than in a large urban primary. The current outcomes still indicate strong standards, but parents should view individual percentages as a snapshot rather than a guarantee for every future cohort.

The curriculum model is designed for a small school with mixed-age classes. The school sets out a two-year rolling programme for topics so pupils still access the full National Curriculum breadth across their time in key stage 1 and key stage 2.

A practical strength of this model is coherence. A term-long history or geography focus can pull writing, reading selections, and wider foundation subjects into a single joined-up experience, which often helps pupils remember and connect learning rather than treating each subject as a disconnected block. Allithwaite describes this directly, with each topic including a “hook”, an enrichment experience such as an educational visit, and a chance to share work as a showcase.

Early years is integrated rather than separate. Nursery pupils spend time with the Reception class (Snowy Owls) and the nursery page describes play-based learning driven by children’s interests, supported by regular adult discussion about what children want to learn next. Weekly baking and cooking is positioned as a routine feature, linked to healthy living. The implication for families is a smoother transition into Reception, with consistent adults and expectations, but also a setting where independence and routines start early.

The main published improvement points in recent formal evaluation are specific and actionable, which is helpful for parents assessing trajectory. The latest inspection material highlights the need to match early reading books more closely to pupils’ phonics knowledge for some key stage 2 readers, and to sharpen assessment approaches in some subjects so gaps are identified and addressed earlier.

As a primary serving up to age 11, the key transition is Year 6 to Year 7.

On the process side, secondary transfer in the Westmorland and Furness area is co-ordinated through the local authority, with the standard closing date for Year 7 applications (September 2026 entry) set as 31 October 2025, and offers released on 2 March 2026 (secondary national offer day timing).

On the relationship side, there is evidence of partnership working locally. A neighbouring primary describes the “Cartmel Consortium”, which includes Allithwaite CE Primary School and Cartmel Priory CE Secondary School among its member schools, and references ongoing collaboration across schools. This does not prove that every pupil moves to Cartmel Priory, but it does indicate established cross-school links that can support transition, shared events, and curriculum continuity.

If families are considering Cartmel Priory specifically, its admissions guidance confirms that Year 6 pupils applying for Year 7 in the normal admissions round should apply via the local authority process.

For entry into this school itself, the main intake points are Nursery (age 3) and Reception (age 4).

Reception entry (September 2026)

Reception admissions are local-authority co-ordinated. For the September 2026 intake, the online application window opens 3 September 2025 and closes 15 January 2026 (11.59pm). Offers are released on 16 April 2026, with reallocation activity after that point if places become available.

Demand is material relative to the school’s size. The latest recorded admissions data shows 25 applications for 12 offers, which equates to 2.08 applications per place, and the school is categorised as oversubscribed. The implication is that families should treat entry as competitive and use three realistic preferences in the local authority application. (The school does not publish a “last distance offered” figure in the data available here.)

A practical suggestion: if you are weighing several local options, use FindMySchool’s Map Search to compare travel practicality and shortlist sensibly before deadlines, particularly when places are tight.

Nursery entry

The nursery is part of the school structure and sits alongside Reception (Snowy Owls). The school points families to local authority guidance for free nursery education and how to apply for a nursery place. Nursery places are not the same as Reception offers, so families should make sure they understand the separate routes and timelines.

Visits and open events

The school encourages families to arrange a visit directly. Specific open day dates are not published on the admissions page, so it is sensible to contact the school well ahead of the local authority deadlines if you want to see the setting while the school is in session.

Pastoral care is framed through both safeguarding and values. Staff roles are clearly set out, including named responsibility for online safety and a safeguarding lead role held by the headteacher. Clear routines also support wellbeing: the school asks parents to notify the office by 9am for absences, and states it will contact families if a child is absent without notification, linking attendance processes explicitly to safeguarding.

SEND information is signposted and the school identifies its SENDCo (who is also assistant headteacher) as the key contact for discussion and planning. For parents, the implication is that early conversations are welcomed, but you should still ask direct questions about how support is delivered day to day in mixed-age classes, and how the school balances independence with scaffolding for younger pupils.

This is an area where Allithwaite’s small scale influences delivery. Rather than dozens of standalone clubs, enrichment appears to run through routines, pupil leadership structures, and wraparound care provision.

Two school-specific leadership programmes are explicitly named: Allithwaite Buddies and the School Council. Evidence suggests pupil leadership is linked to real community issues, including road safety activity referenced in formal evaluation. The implication is that pupils can take responsibility earlier than they might in a larger setting, because there is space for individuals to hold visible roles.

Wraparound care is unusually detailed for a primary website, and it doubles as enrichment. After-school club provision includes structured play options (board games, creative activities, dressing up, small-world play), supervised use of laptops or tablets, and hall-based sports such as basketball and badminton. “Just Dance” is named as a regular favourite via the large whiteboard setup. For working families, the benefit is practical. For children, it can also provide a consistent social space across year groups.

Early years enrichment is also concrete. Nursery notes weekly baking or cooking as part of routine learning, plus regular outdoor learning and a stated priority around learning beyond the classroom.

The PTA is active and has a clear current focus: raising funds to improve the outdoor area with playground equipment. That matters because, in smaller schools, fundraising can have a visible impact on what pupils actually get to use.

School day and wraparound

Breakfast Club starts at 8.00am; gates open at 8.30am; registration is 8.50am; the school day ends at 3.15pm; after-school club runs until 6.15pm. Breakfast club charges are published as £3.50 for the first child and £1.50 for additional siblings. After-school club pricing is structured by time blocks, with sessions up to 4.15pm, 5.15pm, or 6.15pm.

Meals

School meals are supplied by The Old School Kitchen in Cartmel. The published current cost is £2.60 per meal, ordered via Arbor, with orders placed a week in advance by Friday lunchtime. Packed lunches are also permitted.

Term dates

The school directs families to Westmorland and Furness Council term dates for the next three years.

Getting there

The school serves a village community near Grange-over-Sands. Families should plan journeys and parking with local roads in mind, and check current public transport options for Grange-over-Sands if commuting from further afield.

• Competition for places. The latest recorded data shows 25 applications for 12 offers (2.08 applications per place), and the school is described as oversubscribed. Families should use three realistic preferences and keep timelines front of mind.

• Reading refinement work. Recent formal evaluation highlights that some pupils read books that do not match their phonics knowledge closely enough, and that assessment approaches in some subjects are not always pinpointing gaps early. This is fixable, but it is worth asking how changes have been embedded.

• Faith identity is central. The published vision and values are explicitly Christian, with scripture used directly and values framed as part of worship and daily life. Families should decide whether that tone suits their child.

• Small-school experience. Mixed-age classes can be a strong fit for confident learners who benefit from leadership opportunities, but some children may prefer the scale and wider peer groups of a larger primary.

Allithwaite CofE Primary School combines a clear Church of England identity, stable leadership, and a results profile that sits above the England average. The small-school format, owl-named classes, and integrated nursery create continuity, while the wraparound provision is unusually well specified and practical for working families.

Best suited to families who value a faith-shaped primary experience, want a close-knit community setting, and are looking for strong academic outcomes without a large-school feel. The main challenge is securing entry when year groups are small and demand is high.