Selside Endowed CofE Primary School Review 2026: Small rural Church school with strong reading, outdoor learning at its core

For very small primaries, published headline measures can be limited and can swing year to year as cohort sizes change. In those contexts, it is often more informative to look at how the school describes its curriculum focus and what external inspection says about learning.

The latest inspection evidence is clear on priorities. Reading is treated as a through-line from early years onwards: phonics is delivered consistently; pupils who fall behind are identified quickly; and books are matched to the sounds pupils know. Reception children are described as getting off to a strong start in learning to read, and older pupils continue building accuracy, fluency, and understanding through high-quality texts.

The same inspection also gives a helpful developmental note for parents. English and mathematics are described as embedded since the previous inspection, while a small number of foundation subjects needed clearer sequencing from early years through to Year 6 to help pupils deepen knowledge over time. This is the kind of detail that matters in a mixed-age school, because sequencing has to work across different starting points.

Mixed-age classes are not just a staffing detail; they shape pedagogy. The inspection describes subject-specific training for staff, especially in English and mathematics, supporting confident delivery in mixed-age classes. In practice, that tends to mean tighter routines, clear modelling, and deliberate revisiting of key concepts so pupils can connect new learning to prior knowledge even when they are learning alongside different year groups.

Early years provision sits alongside the rest of the school rather than operating as a separate nursery setting. The school’s published early years policy describes Nursery and Reception as part of a mixed-age class, and it also references funded childcare offers (15 and 30 hours) for eligible families.

Learning beyond the classroom is not an afterthought. The school explicitly positions outdoor learning as a cross-curricular approach, and its own language points to using the local landscape as a regular teaching resource. For children who learn best through practical experience, that can be a strong fit.

As a primary school, the next step is transition to secondary at age 11. Because the school serves a rural area and draws families from a wide geography, the most suitable secondary pathway can vary. The best indicator is usually the local authority’s secondary transfer process and the pattern of family choices year to year.

The school also builds breadth of experience that supports transition. Inspection evidence highlights opportunities that widen horizons, including participation in regional pupil parliament activity and a visit to the Houses of Parliament for some pupils. In a small rural primary, those experiences can matter because they help pupils feel comfortable in larger, more diverse environments later on.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Admissions are coordinated through Westmorland and Furness Council, while the governing body acts as the admissions authority, which is common for voluntary aided schools.

The normal Reception application deadline for September 2026 entry is 15 January 2026, with offers issued in April through the coordinated scheme. The school’s admissions policy sets out priorities in the usual structured way: looked-after and previously looked-after children; children with exceptional medical or physical needs supported by evidence; siblings; children living in the catchment; then distance.

Demand data indicates an oversubscribed picture for the primary entry route, with 11 applications for 5 offers and 2.2 applications per place applications per place. That is not huge in absolute terms, but it is meaningful in a small school because a handful of extra applicants can change the outcome.

Families can reduce uncertainty by using FindMySchool’s Map Search to measure their home-to-school distance consistently, then sanity-checking that against the school’s admissions rules and the local authority’s annual guidance.

Small schools often rely on “everyone knows everyone” as the main pastoral mechanism. Here, the evidence suggests it is backed by structure. The school identifies additional needs quickly and works with parents and specialist professionals; teachers adapt lesson activities so pupils with SEND can access learning alongside peers.

Safeguarding leadership is clearly named on the school’s safeguarding information, with the headteacher as Designated Safeguarding Lead and a deputy named for cover. The formal inspection report also confirms safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Wellbeing also appears in everyday routines. The school uses a space referred to as the Zen Den within wraparound provision, and the prospectus describes calmer options such as mindfulness and relaxation within after-school care.

Extracurricular in a very small primary has to be judged differently. It is less about scale and more about whether pupils get distinctive experiences that feel real rather than token.

The school’s own information and inspection evidence show a mix of practical, hands-on clubs. Ofsted references cookery and rag-rugging clubs, which is an unusually specific combination for a primary and suggests staff are actively designing clubs around making and creating, not just the usual menu. The daily routine also points to seasonal after-school clubs, and the school highlights skiing as an example, which is rare for a primary and fits the local outdoor culture.

Sport is framed as both regular activity and event participation. The school says it enters cross-country and orienteering and that pupils run a mile twice a week within the grounds. Combined with the outdoor learning emphasis, this suggests the school sees physical activity as part of weekly rhythm rather than something saved for summer term.

Community fundraising also appears to be an active thread. The school association lists events such as a family camp out and a local walking challenge, which can add social glue in a rural setting where families may not have many “third spaces” for meeting each other.

The published school day indicates the formal end of day at 15:20, with after-school club available beyond that. Breakfast club is available from 08:15, and the school also describes a morning club before the day begins.

Wraparound is unusually specific for a small primary. After-school club runs until 17:30 and is described as flexible; the published charge is £6.00 per session, with £4.00 for siblings in the same session. School lunches are charged at £2.80 per meal.

For transport, the school highlights its position just off the A6 and a short drive from Kendal, which matters for rural travel patterns. Families should still do a dry run at drop-off and pick-up times, rural roads can feel very different in winter and in poor light.

• Very small cohorts and mixed-age classes. The benefits are obvious, close relationships and leadership opportunities; the trade-off is that learning is organised differently from larger primaries, and it is worth checking whether your child thrives in mixed-age teaching.

• Curriculum development in a few subjects. The most recent inspection notes that sequencing was not yet fully defined in a small number of subjects from early years to Year 6, which can affect how well pupils build subject knowledge over time.

• Faith and worldview breadth. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils’ understanding of different faiths and cultures was not developed in enough depth at the time, which some families will want to explore through the school’s curriculum plans.

• Competitiveness in context. Demand is not “big city” competitive, but a small number of places means a small swing in applications can change outcomes; plan realistically if you are moving into the area.

This is a rural Church of England primary where outdoor learning is part of the weekly timetable and reading is treated as a core priority from early years onwards. The small size can be a real advantage for pupils who gain confidence from close adult relationships and a strong sense of belonging. It suits families who want a village-school feel, value frequent time outdoors, and are comfortable with mixed-age teaching. The main hurdle is securing a place when cohorts are small and demand fluctuates.