Ennerdale and Kinniside CofE Primary School

Ennerdale and Kinniside CofE Primary School

Address: Ennerdale Bridge, Cleator, Cumbria, CA23 3AR Unique reference number (URN): 112293

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have established a culture in which there is a shared understanding of the importance of attendance. This year, leaders have sharpened their focus on robustly monitoring absences. They carefully analyse the barriers that pupils face in getting to school. Leaders use this information purposefully to make decisions about how to tackle the unique challenges that impact pupils’ attendance. They offer bespoke support and appropriate challenge to families. Pupils’ attendance is high and persistent absence is low.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils learn in a serene environment that is highly conducive to learning. Leaders have clear expectations and embedded routines that staff seamlessly model. Staff rarely need to remind pupils about these expectations. Pupils value the supportive approach that staff take in helping them to manage their emotions. They speak maturely about the positive difference this makes to their wellbeing and to their relationships with their peers. Staff are alert to pupils who may find aspects of school routines difficult. They provide these pupils with personalised support that is carefully and consistently integrated into lessons and social times. Pupils’ work and engagement in lessons reflects their highly positive attitudes to learning. While bullying and discrimination are rare in this school, they are tackled effectively by staff.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well at this school. They learn a broad body of knowledge and are typically well prepared for the next stage of their education. This is evident in pupils’ results in national tests at the end of Year 6.

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Achievement Expected standard

From the early years, through to the end of key stage 2, leaders and staff ensure that pupils gain fluency and confidence in the key skills they need. This includes in their communication, reading, writing, and mathematics. Pupils who struggle with these skills are supported well, through tailored adaptations, to keep up with the expectations of the curriculum at each stage. These pupils make positive progress from their starting points and achieve well.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders carefully check that pupils are building on their knowledge. In some subjects, such as in history and geography, pupils develop a detailed understanding and make sophisticated links in their learning. However, in some subjects, while pupils typically achieve well, their knowledge is not as detailed and their work does not reflect the same depth of understanding.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths of school’s curriculum and aspects that they are developing further. They carefully consider how to strengthen teaching in particular subjects and take effective action to achieve this. For example, recent changes to the curriculum in subjects beyond English and mathematics, have defined more clearly the key knowledge that pupils should learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

In lessons, staff are alert to the pupils who may need specific support to access the learning. They provide tailored, timely, effective help to these pupils. Leaders place a sharp focus on teaching pupils the important knowledge they need for future learning in reading, writing and mathematics. They provide pupils with many opportunities to practise these skills. This helps pupils to develop fluency and confidence in these aspects of their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils learn a broad and aspirational curriculum. Staff generally deliver the curriculum well. They introduce new ideas to pupils clearly and provide useful models to support their understanding. Pupils, including those who face difficulties in their learning, value the many opportunities they have to engage in practical activities. They say this helps them to remember what they have been taught. However, at times, these activities do not enable pupils to deepen their understanding by tackling tasks that require higher levels of independent application of knowledge.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have designed a progressive early years curriculum that prepares children well for key stage 1. They carefully consider the different ages of children in the early years. This helps to make sure that the curriculum is appropriate and builds on children’s learning logically over time.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff deliver the curriculum well. They use their interactions with children to introduce new vocabulary and to build on what children already know. Staff ask children questions to ignite their curiosity. They ensure that children have lots of opportunities to practise what they have been taught. For example, children use what they have learned in mathematics to compare how much water is in different jugs. Children develop confidence in using their knowledge of phonics to read and write words. They build on their skills through participating in outdoor activities that promote their physical strength and coordination, such as climbing.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that children’s wellbeing and personal needs are prioritised. The nurturing staff support children to settle when they arrive at school, particularly when children are new to school or feeling anxious. Staff build positive, caring relationships with children. They understand each child’s unique needs well and adapt their practice to ensure that those needs are met. This ensures that children, including those who face barriers to their learning or wellbeing, make gains in their development and flourish.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff understand each pupil’s learning and emotional needs well. They quickly build relationships with pupils and their families when they join the school. This helps them to understand the unique challenges that pupils face. This, in turn, enables leaders to put in place bespoke support for pupils where needed. In lessons, teachers generally ensure that pupils who face barriers to their learning benefit from adapted teaching and receive additional help. Consequently, these pupils successfully access the curriculum and typically achieve well. Leaders and staff understand the personal challenges that pupils can sometimes face. They recognise the impact these can have on pupils' emotional wellbeing. Leaders ensure that pupils receive timely pastoral support, when needed, from school staff and from specialists. For example, pupils have opportunities to discuss how they are feeling. They learn strategies for managing their emotions and building resilience. Leaders’

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Inclusion Expected standard

decisions about strategies to support pupils, including how to spend additional funding, are made in the best interests of pupils. These strategies make a positive difference in enabling pupils to flourish at school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have worked determinedly alongside governors and staff. They have worked to not only maintain standards, but to continue to bring about improvements to the school. For example, recent changes to the personal development programme and to the curriculum have impacted positively on pupils' learning. Developments to the school’s attendance monitoring processes have also strengthened leaders’ oversight of this area.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and staff have a clear, shared vision for the school. They ensure that this vision permeates their processes and practices. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the aspects of the school’s work that would benefit from being strengthened further. They identify the most pertinent actions that will make the biggest difference to pupils’ learning and wellbeing. Leaders’ actions have a positive impact on the ongoing development of the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors carry out their roles effectively. They understand the context of the school and engage well with the parental community. They provide support to staff and leaders. In some aspects of the school’s work, such as attendance, safeguarding and finance, governors provide detailed challenge to leaders to be assured of the school’s effectiveness. However, in other aspects of the school, such as the quality of the curriculum and teaching, and pupils' achievement, their monitoring is not as robust.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff enjoy working at this school, they feel very supported by leaders. Leaders consider the workload and wellbeing of staff. Both leaders and staff have a range of opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills. This includes working in collaboration with other school leaders and staff, to share practice.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have recently strengthened the school’s personal development programme. They have considered the rural context of the school when making decisions about the content of this programme. This is enables pupils to broaden their understanding of the wider world. For example, pupils visit cities such as Liverpool and York to experience different urban environments. Pupils are taught about the many things that make them unique. Diversity is celebrated. Leaders ensure that all pupils access the full personal development programme, including those who face barriers to their learning or wellbeing. Pupils generally remember what they have been taught through these sessions.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, including when using online devices. Leaders ensure that pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of what makes a positive friendship. They learn about the importance of mutual respect when interacting with others and treating each other with kindness. Pupils develop their confidence and problem- solving skills through team building activities on residential trips and during their outdoor learning in the nearby forest.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders promote pupils’ understanding of environmental issues. They encourage pupils to consider how they can have a positive impact in their local community and beyond. For example, pupils learn about the importance of protecting the trees in the nearby forest. They maturely reflect on the positive impact of local tourism, as well as the effect that this could have on traffic on the roads. Pupils live out the school’s vision for them to ‘share love, kindness and wisdom to make a positive impact on the world’. They have a developing understanding of British values. Pupils recognise the importance of ensuring that everyone’s voices are heard. They make links between democracy in the country and having opportunities to vote in school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

A key aspect of the school that pupils particularly benefit from is the bespoke pastoral support that they can access. This makes a significant difference to pupils' wellbeing and removes barriers to their social and emotional development.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are very proud to attend this school. They build highly respectful friendships with their peers and appreciate the positive relationships they have with staff. Pupils’ behaviour is impressive. They consistently live up to the school’s Christian values and to staff’s expectations of their conduct. Pupils act as positive role models for each other. They speak with immense pride as they describe their school as a ‘beacon of light’ in the community and how they are ‘the light that enables the beacon to shine’. Should bullying or incidents of discrimination occur staff address them swiftly. This helps pupils to feel safe and well cared for.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils’ enthusiasm for learning is consistently evident in lessons and in how they recall, with excitement, the things they have learned. This is also evident in the early years, where children delight in exploring natural resources outside. Pupils enjoy attending school, which is reflected in their high attendance.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

From the early years to the end of Year 6, pupils learn a broad curriculum that prepares them well for the next stage of their education. Pupils typically achieve well, which is reflected in the results of national tests that they complete. Staff carefully consider if any additional help or adaptations are needed for individual pupils. For example, pupils who face barriers to their learning or wellbeing are supported to access the curriculum successfully. Pupils benefit from participating in a range of activities that broadens their experiences and promote their talents. For example, pupils access a wide range of extra curricular clubs such as gardening, arts, and sports. Pupils have multiple opportunities to go on residential trips. Through these, pupils learn new skills such as archery, canoeing and rock climbing. During their trips to different cities, pupils visit museums and go to the theatre. Leaders ensure that

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

everyone is included in these experiences.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that pupils are consistently enabled to apply their knowledge independently, so that they deepen their understanding and are even better prepared for the next stage in their education. Governors should strengthen their effectiveness by ensuring that they challenge leaders consistently and robustly across all aspects of the school's work.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Danielle Heap.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, staff, governors, and representatives of the local authority and the diocese during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with parents and carers and children.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is in the Diocese of Carlisle. Its last section 48 inspection was in May 2026.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a significant change in leadership since the last inspection. The current headteacher was appointed in September 2025.

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About this inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were 39 pupils on roll.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 16 June 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2023/24 (final) 56% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 56% 60% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 78% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 78% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 67% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 78% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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gap

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.4% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 16.3% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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