Dallam School Review 2026, State boarding option with a wide rural draw

Few state secondaries offer a genuine boarding route alongside day places, and that single feature changes what the school can be for families. For local students, it functions as the mainstream secondary with sixth form that anchors a wide rural area. For others, it is one of a small number of state boarding schools where education is state-funded and families pay only for boarding care.

The context matters because the school is working through improvement priorities while also running a complex, two-site model. Leadership has been in place since February 2023, with a published improvement plan and a later monitoring visit that focuses on consistency, assessment practice, reading gaps for older pupils, and behaviour routines. The direction of travel is clear; the day-to-day experience depends on how reliably that work lands across subjects and year groups.

The school’s identity is tied to two ideas that do not always sit together easily, a comprehensive intake for local families, and an outward-facing boarding offer that draws students from further afield. That mix can be a strength. It tends to create a broad social range, and it also means students who want more structure beyond the school day can opt into a residential rhythm. It also demands a lot operationally, because expectations and routines need to feel consistent across day students, boarders, and sixth formers.

The values published by the school are explicit and practical, Courage, Respect, Compassion, Endeavour, and Integrity. Where this lands best is in the way staff talk about conduct and contribution, not only sanctions, but also what students do for one another, how they represent the school, and the everyday expectation of decent behaviour in shared spaces.

The graded inspection evidence from 2023 makes it clear that student experience has not been uniformly positive across key stages, with some students reporting gaps in pastoral support and a need to rebuild trust between staff and pupils. That is a demanding starting point, but it is also specific, and it gives families a useful lens for questions at open events, such as how form time works, how concerns are reported, and what response times look like in practice.

Headline performance sits in the middle band for GCSE outcomes on FindMySchool’s England ranking, and lower for A-levels. At GCSE, the school is ranked 2,516th in England (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and ranked 1st locally. That places outcomes broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), rather than at either extreme. Progress 8 is -0.43, which indicates students, on average, make below-average progress from their starting points across eight subjects. The Attainment 8 score is 43.7. EBacc entry and outcomes sit on the lower side, with an EBacc average point score of 3.75 and 9.8% achieving grade 5 or above across the EBacc elements.

In sixth form, A-level outcomes are ranked 2,100th in England (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and ranked 1st locally. That position sits below England average overall, within the bottom 40% of schools in England by this measure. In the most recent published breakdown, 3.05% of A-level grades were A*, 9.76% were A, and 29.27% were A* to B. Using the same dataset, the England average for A* to B is 47.2%, which gives a clear benchmark for families weighing post-16 options.

The important implication is not a simple yes or no on quality. It is fit and trajectory. For some students, especially those who benefit from structure and strong pastoral scaffolding, the combination of boarding routines, enrichment, and an improvement plan focused on classroom consistency may be attractive. For others, particularly high attainers seeking the most consistently strong examination profile, it is sensible to compare sixth form routes locally, and to look closely at subject-level patterns rather than only whole-school averages. Using the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tool can make those local comparisons quicker and more objective.

The curriculum intent is described in the inspection evidence as carefully sequenced, with knowledge designed to build cumulatively, including in sixth form. The challenge, as set out in the same evidence, is delivery consistency, especially where teachers need stronger subject expertise, sharper use of assessment information, and more reliable checking of prior knowledge before moving on.

That diagnosis is echoed by the later monitoring visit priorities, which centre on teachers’ use of assessment to adapt teaching, targeted support for older pupils with reading gaps, and staff confidence in implementing behaviour routines consistently. For parents, these are useful, practical markers to discuss with leaders: how the school is training staff, what coaching looks like for early career teachers, how reading interventions work for older students, and what consistency checks happen across departments.

Sixth form teaching and support are best understood through the admissions and guidance material the school publishes. Offers for September 2026 entry are confirmed after GCSE results day once entry criteria are met, which indicates a structured approach to post-16 readiness rather than automatic progression regardless of outcomes.

With sixth form on site and boarding available, students have multiple pathways, staying on for A-level or equivalent courses, moving to employment, or moving into further education routes. In the 2023 to 2024 leavers cohort (cohort size 76), 42% progressed to university, 32% to employment, 4% to apprenticeships, and 4% to further education.

For families focused on elite university pipelines, the Oxbridge figures in the latest recorded period are modest. Four applications were made and there were no offers or acceptances recorded. It is important to treat small numbers with caution, as a single cohort can swing year to year, but the overall picture suggests this is not a sixth form defined by Oxbridge throughput.

What may matter more for many students is the practical preparation for the next step. The inspection evidence references strong links with businesses and local colleges and a clear intent to inform students for their next stages. Students considering vocational or employment routes should ask how work experience is organised, what careers interviews look like, and how the school supports applications for apprenticeships and technical routes alongside university.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated by local authorities, with the route depending on home address, and the school explicitly references both Westmorland and Furness Council and Lancashire Council. For September 2026 entry, Westmorland and Furness applications open on 03 September 2025 and close on 31 October 2025. Lancashire’s timetable aligns, with applications opening on 01 September 2025, closing on 31 October 2025, and offers issued on 02 March 2026 (reflecting the national offer date rule).

For sixth form entry, the published admissions policy for 2026 to 2027 sets a closing date for applications for September 2026 entry of 10 February 2026. The school also indicates that offers are confirmed after GCSE results day in August 2026 once entry criteria are met, and it describes an oversubscription priority starting with looked-after and previously looked-after children who meet the academic threshold.

Demand for places appears high in the most recently reported admissions dataset, with 363 applications and 101 offers recorded for one entry route, which is around 3.6 applications per place. That ratio suggests competition can be real even before any local movement between authorities is considered.

Boarding is a separate admissions decision layered on top of school admission. Families should treat boarding as a pastoral and lifestyle choice as much as an educational one, and should ask about the balance of supervised study, activities, and downtime across weekdays and weekends.

If your decision depends on proximity or transport logistics, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for modelling the practical reality of travel time and day-to-day sustainability, especially in a rural area where journeys vary significantly by village and route.

Safeguarding is a clear positive in the most recent graded inspection evidence, with safeguarding arrangements stated as effective. That is a baseline requirement, and it also provides reassurance while the school works through wider improvement priorities.

Pastoral care has been a weaker area historically according to the same evidence, with some students reporting that they did not always receive the support they needed, and leaders having to rebuild relationships and reporting confidence. The school’s later monitoring priorities, including better communication with pupils and more consistent behaviour routines, speak directly to the lived experience this creates for students day to day. Families should ask what has changed since 2023, for example, how form tutors are used, what escalation looks like for concerns, and how quickly issues such as bullying are followed up.

For boarders, pastoral support is continuous. The boarding information describes houseparents, termly reporting to families, and structured communication, alongside practical routines such as how boarders travel between the boarding site and the school site.

A school with boarding needs a credible extracurricular spine, because evenings and weekends are part of the educational offer rather than an add-on. The published clubs and activities schedule shows that the school is trying to provide breadth across creative, technical, and social options, not only sport.

Two examples illustrate the range and the intent. The KS3 Isekai Club is explicitly positioned for students who enjoy anime, Dungeons and Dragons, and Warhammer, which signals that niche interests are given a formal place rather than being treated as peripheral. The 3D Printing Club and Computing Club sit at the other end of the spectrum, offering design and digital creativity through practical tools and software. The implication is straightforward, students can find peers quickly, and they can build confidence through belonging, which is especially useful in the first year of secondary school and for boarders settling into a new routine.

STEM

STEM enrichment is visible both in clubs and in the way the school frames skills development. Engineering Club uses KNEX to explore vehicles, cranes, and structures through practical builds and team challenges. Debate Club complements that with structured speaking and persuasion skills that support academic subjects as well as leadership development. These are small, weekly interventions, but over a year they can change how students see themselves, from passive learners to active contributors.

Outdoor learning is a natural advantage in this part of the country, and the school links enrichment to place. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is established, and the school frames it through access to local landscapes and volunteering opportunities. That tends to suit students who learn best through doing, and it can be especially valuable for boarders who benefit from structured weekend activity.

Sport is prominent, and for boarders there is an added layer through the Dallam and GT7 Football Academy. The published outline describes a 39-week programme with UEFA-qualified coaching, strength and conditioning, and video-based analysis. For students seeking a serious football pathway without leaving the state sector, that is a distinctive offer, and it is also a commitment that families should weigh carefully against academic workload.

Boarding here sits within the state sector model: tuition is state-funded, and families pay only for boarding care. The school’s boarding information sets out what the boarding fee covers, including meals, laundry, bed linen, and care arrangements, while also being clear about typical extras such as clothing, outings, and instrumental tuition. Invoices are issued termly, with the annual boarding charge split into three payments.

Accommodation is split by age and stage. The boarding accommodation guidance encourages Years 7 to 11 to share rooms to support settling in, while sixth form boarders are described as having single occupancy, university-style bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and a private study area at Whitbarrow Hall. Social spaces include junior and senior common rooms, plus dedicated sixth form space with kitchen facilities, alongside sports facilities such as a fitness suite, tennis courts, and a sports hall.

From a family perspective, boarding is rarely about facilities alone. It is about whether the routines, supervision, and peer group are right for the child. The school’s boarding FAQs describe early-term settling-in reporting and ongoing communication, which is often the deciding factor for parents weighing a first boarding experience.

The published school day begins at 8:50am and finishes at 3:15pm.

Transport is an important practical factor locally. The school states that students in Cumbria, excluding certain areas, who live over three miles away may qualify for free transport in Years 7 to 11 arranged by Westmorland and Furness Council, and it lists a set of core catchment villages served by free transport. It also explains that students travelling from Kendal, Grange, Lindale, or north Lancashire typically use a private arrangement contracted by the school.

• Requires Improvement judgement. The latest graded inspection outcome is Requires Improvement across all areas, including sixth form. Families should ask leaders for concrete examples of how teaching consistency and behaviour routines are being tightened, and how impact is checked across departments.

• Variation in student experience. Inspection evidence indicates that some pupils in key stages 3 and 4 have not always shared the positive sixth form experience, especially around pastoral support and confidence in reporting concerns. Ask how tutor time, pastoral staffing, and student voice now operate in practice.

• A-level outcomes are weaker than GCSE outcomes. The A-level ranking sits in the bottom 40% of schools in England on this dataset. Students with strong academic ambitions should compare subject-level sixth form support, entry criteria, and progression guidance with local alternatives before committing.

• Boarding is a lifestyle decision. Boarding offers structure and opportunity, but it also requires readiness for communal living and adult supervision beyond the school day. A trial stay, where offered, and detailed questions about routines and study expectations can be decisive.

This is a complex school to judge on a single headline, because it blends a rural comprehensive role with a genuine state boarding offer. The improvement agenda is clear and specific, and safeguarding is secure, but families should be realistic about the work still required to deliver consistently strong classroom experience across key stages. Best suited to students who will benefit from clear routines, structured enrichment, and the additional pastoral scaffolding that boarding can provide, and to families who want the state boarding model without stepping into independent fees.