High Schools

Currently, the school has approximately 1600 pupils and serves the town and the surrounding rural area. The school has moderately well equipped and up-to-date facilities in every department; there are modern science laboratories, computer rooms, and a learning resources centre. It has a gym and a full size floodlit all-weather pitch. The school is very proud of its links with a partner school in Tanzan.

The Whitehaven Academy (formerly Whitehaven School) is a comprehensive co-educational secondary school with academy status, located in Whitehaven, in west Cumbria, England. The school was established in 1984. A February 2011 report from the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills said that the school ‘has made inadequate progress in making improvements and demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement’ in the previous two years, according to a report issued subsequent to an OFSTED team visit in January 2011. Lynette Norris who took over as headteacher in 2011 was described as bringing ‘vision and energy’ to the school since she took office. The school converted to academy status in January 2014, sponsored by the Bright Tribe Trust.  

West Lakes Academy in Egremont, Cumbria, provides education to children from 11 to 18 years old. They opened in September 2008 and moved into our brand new building in March 2012. As an academy, they are independently governed but state funded and free to all children. Like other schools, they are subject to normal OFSTED inspections and work with the Local Education Authority in relation to issues such as admissions.  

As a result of the Education Act 1944, Walney Island needed to have its own secondary school. The present Sandy Gap site was agreed in 1951 and the school built. Lord Cavendish opened the school’s new Sensory Garden in 2003. At GCSE and GNVQ, the school is ranked 33rd out of the forty-seven secondary schools in Cumbria. It has no Sixth Form, so does not teach at ‘A’-level. Walney School achieved Specialist Engineering Status in 2009. In Winter 2010 Walney School began to expand the school, by building a £6m redevelopment and extension.It will has 10 new classrooms, two music rooms, two art rooms and an additional science block.The single storey classrooms also have a Sedam turf roof, with plants growing on top to have an environmental and visual appeal.

They are a 11-18 school in the lovely Cumbrian market town of Ulverston surrounded by fells and beaches on the scenic Furness Peninsula. their oversubscribed school is a very popular choice for parents who tell them that their children feel safe, make good progress in their learning and that the school is well led and managed. Students, teachers, parents and governors regularly express their pride in their school.  

The character of the school comes from two main factors. The first is its enormous catchment area, the largest in England. The second is the existence of its neighbour and great rival, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School. Mr David Robinson served as headmaster until 2004 thereafter the school was led by Mr Stewart Gimber as the head teacher. UCC had a good Inspection in 2006 but in 2009 it was given a Notice to Improve by Ofsted. In September 2009 Mr Nigel Pattinson took over the role as head teacher. UCC is a Business and Enterprise College and has many links with the local community through enterprise projects. The school also has a large adult or further education centre. In January 2011, The construction of a new training centre began and was completed in September 2011. The new “Applied Learning Centre” was opened on the 29th of November 2011 by The Duke of Gloucester. In May 2012 controversy arose as Nigel Pattinson, the headmaster, was given a pay rise at a time when the school was making staff redundant and was short of money. The governors defended their actions saying that the rise was due to the school meeting the targets […]

Trinity School (formerly Carlisle Grammar School) is a large mixed secondary school and sixth form in Carlisle, Cumbria, for students aged 11 to 18. Since September 2011, it has been an academy. It is a Church of England school with strong links to Carlisle Cathedral. In 2009 the Ofsted inspection concluded, “Trinity School provides its students with a good education… the quality of the teaching and learning is good”. In its February 2012 inspection, Trinity was judged to be “good” in all categories.

  The Queen Katherine School is an academy school located in Kendal, Cumbria, England. It is a co-educational facility for 11- to 18-year-olds and has around 1420 students. The school’s ethos is “A trusting, open, caring, inclusive, friendly and structured atmosphere – with comfortable relationships, clear expectations and with every individual valued.” “We have a focus on learning, guidance and monitoring for all students and staff, both inside and outside the classroom.” It achieved specialist status as a Technology College in 2001 and became a strategic facility for students with physical and medical difficulties in 2002. In 2006, it became a full service Extended School. In 2011 the school became an Academy.

The Nelson Thomlinson School is a comprehensive secondary school located in the market town of Wigton, Cumbria, England. The school’s motto is the Latin phrase Fide et Operis, “Faith and Works”. The position of Headteacher has been occupied by David Samuel Northwood since September 2012, after the former head, Janet Downes, retired at the end of the previous academic year.  

The Lakes School is an 11-18 mixed comprehensive community school.They are situated in a corner of the UK which is unparalleled for its beauty, cultural opportunities and quality of life.The campus itself is set in close proximity to Lake Windermere and is surrounded by the Cumbrian fells.The Lakes School is very much at the heart of the local community. They encourage their students to participate fully in all aspects of school life, knowing that this will enrich their education and help them to become successful young people.  

Workington Academy is a mixed secondary school and sixth form that was formed in September 2015 from the merger of Southfield Technology College and Stainburn School and Science College. The school will relocate to a new campus in Workington, Cumbria in 2017. Prior to the merger, Southfield Technology College and Stainburn School and Science College were both experiencing low pupil numbers, and were both in special measures after critical Ofsted inspection reports. In October 2014 it was announced that the schools would merge in September 2015 to form Workington Academy.The academy is sponsored by the William Howard Trust, and operates from the former Stainburn School site until moving to a new campus in 2017. Southfield Technology College (now closed) In November 2015 it was announced that the Southfield Technology College site is set to be demolished after a repeated string of vandal attacks on the former school buildings.

St Joseph’s was judged by Ofsted to be a “Good” school in April 2016 and this is a very firm basis on which we can aspire to improve further. St Joseph’s has a Mission Statement which is summarised in the statement: ‘We will challenge you to aim high. We expect you to succeed.” they are very pleased with the 10% increase in their GCSE results this year. We are pleased that St Joseph’s exam results are improving despite the national trend being downwards. they do realise that it is becoming more difficult to achieve higher grades so they are very happy that their students’ A and A* results have also increased.

St Bernard’s Catholic High School is a Catholic community based on the gospel values of love and respect. We aim to provide the children of the Furness area with a supportive and caring community in which all can grow in confidence, spiritually and academically, to fulfil their true potential, strong in their belief in Christ, fully prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences that await them.

St Benedict’s Catholic High School is a co-educational 11-18 comprehensive school on the edge of Whitehaven, between the Western Lake District and the sea. St Benedict’s is a much larger than average Catholic high school which serves a wide catchment area in West Cumbria. The proportion of students entitled to free school meals is just below average. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is just above average and an average number have a statement of special educational needs. The school was awarded specialist engineering college status in 2002, and has the Healthy Schools Award. Alongside this, St Benedict’s is also a Fairtrade School. It recently became one of only ten schools nationally to achieve advanced status in study support and also recently achieved the International Schools Award.

Solway Community Technology College is a mixed secondary school and sixth form located in Silloth in Cumbria. It is a comprehensive community school administered by Cumbria County Council. Solway Community Technology College offers GCSEs and vocational courses as programmes of study for pupils. Some vocational courses are offered in conjunction with Askham Bryan College or Lakes College. Students in the sixth form have the option to study from a range of A-levels. Solway Community School is at the heart of the community in Silloth. Established over 50 years ago, they have a reputation as a school where students of all abilities excel. their biggest strength is their small size – everyone knows everyone else; yet they are able to provide a wide range of courses to match learners’ strengths and interests. They know everyone – and they help them develop into unique and self-confident individuals.

Settlebeck School is a small coeducational secondary school with academy status. It is located in Sedbergh in Cumbria, drawing pupils from a radius of at least of ten miles, and a total number on roll of about 160. Previously a community school (Settlebeck High School) administered by Cumbria County Council, Settlebeck School converted to academy status on 1 August 2011. The school continues to coordinate with Cumbria County Council for admissions. Settlebeck High School offers GCSEs, AS-Levels and ASDAN qualifications as programmes of study for pupils. The school also has a provision of vocational courses offered in conjunction with Kendal College.

All of the staff at the Academy share in the vision and believe that each individual child has the right to be the best version of themselves they can be. they do this by creating quality teaching and learning, positive life experiences, a fair and firm approach to discipline and a wide range of enrichment opportunities so that all children can experience success. The staff share a dedication and commitment to motivate and inspire students to achieve beyond their expectations. they ensure their staff have access to a varied and comprehensive professional development programme to enable them to share good practise, celebrate outstanding teaching achievements and ensure the best in terms of quality of teaching and learning for the students.

Based in the heart of the beautiful border city of Carlisle on the edge of the Lake District they provide high quality education to 11-18 year olds from across the City. The high expectations they place on students and staff, supported by one of the best learning environments in the County, has already had a significant impact in terms of improving results.

Queen Elizabeth School is a coeducational, comprehensive secondary school and sixth form with academy status. It is located in Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria. Previously a foundation school administered by Cumbria County Council, Queen Elizabeth School converted to academy status on 1 December 2010. However the school continue to coordinate with Cumbria County Council for admissions. Queen Elizabeth School offers GCSEs and BTECs as programmes of study for pupils, while students in the sixth form have the option to study from a range of A-levels and further BTECs.

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School (QEGS) is a coeducational selective grammar school in Penrith, Cumbria, England. The school currently has approximately 830 pupils.The grammar school ethos is about offering an academic curriculum, encouraging our pupils to have high aspirations and working in a disciplined environment which has a high regard for the community, for honesty and mutual respect. There is considerable extra-curricular provision in sport and the performing and creative arts.