The Lakes School
Windermere, LA23 1HW · Westmorland and Furness · secondary school
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9th of 20 secondary schools in Westmorland and Furness we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 820 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.1/10 among them, against 3.4/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 36.8 · 29 | 30% | 0.88 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.11 · 42 | 25% | 1.04 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 42.1 · 29 | 10% | 0.29 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
The Lakes School overview
How it's doing
The school was rated Good by Ofsted in March 2025. In 2024/25, 41.7% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 46.8, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.11 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.9 out of 10 among them, against 4.5 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 445 pupils against a stated capacity of 851. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to improve their Progress 8 scores relative to similar-intake schools? What specific measures are in place to raise attainment in English and maths?
What Ofsted said about The Lakes School
Overview
The Lakes School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at its previous inspection. Pupils feel well cared for in a warm environment, enjoying a calm and purposeful culture for learning. The school continues to set high expectations for achievement, with most pupils benefiting from a well-designed curriculum and strong extra-curricular opportunities.
Strengths
- The school provides an "ambitious curriculum" that is logically mapped, with staff using "strong subject expertise to explain subject content clearly."
- Pupils are supported well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who "achieve as well as they should" through effective identification and support systems.
- Reading is prioritised with suitable support, including sixth form reading buddies, helping pupils develop a "love of reading."
- The school promotes wider development effectively, offering high-quality careers guidance and helping pupils establish an "appreciation of differences between people."
- Governors "support and challenge the school well," ensuring decisive improvement work while maintaining staff well-being and manageable workloads.
Areas to improve
- In a few subjects, staff do not check pupils’ learning effectively enough, which "hampers how well some pupils build on their knowledge over time."
- Efforts to remove barriers to attendance are not as effective for a small minority of pupils, meaning they "continue to miss valuable learning time."
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 47.4 |
| 2024/25 | 46.8 |
| 2025/26 | 42.1 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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