William Howard School
Brampton, CA8 1AR · Cumberland · secondary school
Check the area around this school
5th of 19 secondary schools in Cumberland we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 879 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.1/10 among them, against 3.1/10 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 | 36.5 · 28 | 30% | 0.85 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.19 · 36 | 25% | 0.89 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 42.0 · 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.
William Howard School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 42.8% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 45.0, slightly above the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.19 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than the national average for similar starting points. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 2.1 out of 10 among them, against 4.3 out of 10 nationally. Ofsted rated the school Good in July 2025.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Duke of Edinburgh Award and an after-school club.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,312 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,462. 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? What specific activities are included in the after-school club?
What Ofsted said about William Howard School
Overview
William Howard School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. The report describes a school where pupils develop a strong sense of belonging and are united by their understanding of ‘The William Howard Way’. Leaders have successfully created an environment that pupils want to attend, characterised by high expectations, a calm learning atmosphere, and a commitment to pairing academic rigour with personal development.
Strengths
- Pupils benefit from an ‘ambitious curriculum’ that includes diverse subjects through the ‘character curriculum’, such as archaeology and forensics, which broadens their awareness of the world.
- Learning is carefully organised across most subjects, with teachers explaining difficult concepts clearly and helping pupils link new information to prior learning to build ‘deep bodies of knowledge’.
- The school provides effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring they access the ambitious curriculum with necessary adjustments.
- Staff workload has been reduced through changes to feedback approaches, and staff are described as proud to work at the school within a culture of care.
- Most pupils attend school regularly, supported by effective steps to remove barriers to attendance and a comprehensive programme of personal development.
Areas to improve
- In a few subjects at key stage 3, staff lack clarity about the most important knowledge pupils should remember, hindering the secure building of understanding over time.
- The approach to supporting some pupils in key stage 4 who find reading difficult is underdeveloped, meaning a small number do not receive timely help.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42.0 |
| 2024/25 | 45.0 |
| 2025/26 | 42.0 |
| 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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