Kirby Moor School

  • Special
  • Independent
  • Ages 7 to 18
Ofsted: Good

Longtown Road, Brampton, CA8 2ABOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Kirby Moor School is a special school in Brampton for ages 7 to 18. It is one of the 178 schools in Cumberland. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2024.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 8 October 2024, report published 25 November 2024

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 October 2024

Pupils learn and thrive at this happy, welcoming school. Most pupils join the school having experienced considerable barriers and disruption to their education. The school provides them with a fresh start. This helps pupils to re-engage in learning. Pupils feel safe and secure because of the strong relationships that they build with staff. All pupils who attend the school have a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Pupils embrace the challenges that the curriculum offers. They take pride in the work that they produce. Pupils typically achieve well from their individual starting points. Pupils learn to reflect on the impact of their conduct on others. This helps them to make sensible choices about how to behave. Pupils generally show respect for staff and to each other. Their behaviour typically improves over time. Pupils benefit from a suitably wide range of activities beyond the academic curriculum. For example, they undertake voluntary work at the local community food bank. They enjoy trips and visits to museums and places of interest. Pupils especially enjoy their outdoor learning. These activities support pupils' personal development.

What the school should improve

  • In a few subjects, the curriculum does not set out the smaller components of knowledge that pupils need to learn. This makes it difficult for staff to ensure that pupils learn everything that they need to know. The school should ensure that, in all subjects, there is clarity for staff about the smaller steps of knowledge that should be taught, so that pupils build a secure body of knowledge over time.
  • In a small number of subjects, the school is at an early stage of checking that the curriculum is implemented consistently well. This prevents it from making any necessary adjustments to the teaching of the curriculum should they be necessary. In each subject, the school should ensure that the delivery of the curriculum is implemented as intended.

Exam results

GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25

7 pupils in the year group

Attainment 8 score0.4

0.4, 45.7 below the England average of 46.1.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths0%

0%, 45.4 percentage points below the England average of 45.4%.

Grade 4 or above in English and maths0%

0%, 64.8 percentage points below the England average of 64.8%.

Pupils entering the EBacc0%

0%, 40.5 percentage points below the England average of 40.5%.

EBacc average point score0.02

0.02, 4.07 below the England average of 4.09.

Pupil numbers and mix

63 pupils on roll, with places for 75

Special educational needs support1.6%

1.6%, 13.2 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan96.8%

96.8%, 90.8 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near Kirby Moor School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
James Rennie School8 milesOfsted: Outstanding0% met the expected standard
Progress Schools - Carlisle8 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 4.6
Hexham Priory School26 milesOfsted: Outstanding0% met the expected standard
Villa Real School37 milesOfsted: Good0% met the expected standard
Branthwaite Academy38 milesOfsted judgements: Requires improvement to goodNot published

School details

School type
Other independent special school
Sector
Independent
Age range
7 to 18
Gender
Boys
Headteacher
Mrs Karen Bell
Address
Longtown Road, Brampton, CA8 2AB
Local authority
Cumberland
URN
135410

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.