Orton CofE School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 3 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Orton, Penrith, CA10 3RGOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Orton CofE School is a primary school in Penrith for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 160 schools in Westmorland and Furness. It ranks 7th of 18 primary schools in Penrith. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in February 2013.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 19 February 2013, report published 12 March 2013

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 June 2022

Pupils, parents and carers and staff all describe Orton CofE School as a happy place. The school's motto, 'a happy place to learn, grow and thrive' certainly rings true. Pupils get on well with their teachers and enjoy spending time with their friends. Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils. They want them to do well academically, and to benefit from a broad and engaging range of learning opportunities and experiences. Pupils, including children in the early years, work well in class and take pride in their work. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils live up to these expectations well, treating each other with kindness and respect. On the very few occasions that incidents of bullying and name-calling do happen, pupils trust adults to sort these matters out quickly. There are lots of activities to develop pupils' interests and talents beyond the school day. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about the residential trips that they have been on. More recently, they also enjoyed taking part in a major singing event. Pupils value the attractive school grounds, particularly the areas for gardening, sports and quiet reflection. They enjoy taking part in community events, such as the local scarecrow festival.

What the school should improve

  • In a small number of subjects, leaders have not finalised the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn and when they want them to learn it. This means that pupils cannot build new learning confidently on what has come before. Leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about the most important knowledge that pupils should learn. Leaders should check that this knowledge is being taught as planned.
  • At times, the books that pupils use to practise their reading are too difficult. This hinders some pupils in becoming fluent readers quickly enough. Teachers should ensure that the books that pupils read are matched well to the sounds that they know.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

7 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths57%

57%, 5 percentage points below the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths14%

14%, 6 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score103

103, 3 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score102

102, 3 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score103

103, 2 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

47 pupils on roll, with places for 96

Eligible for free school meals4.3%

4.3%, 22.2 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language0%

0%, 21.6 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support23.4%

23.4%, 8.6 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan2.1%

2.1%, 3.9 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Orton CofE School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Tebay Primary School2 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Crosby Ravensworth CofE School4 milesOfsted judgements: GoodNot published
Asby Endowed School5 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Shap Endowed CofE Primary School6 milesOfsted: Good30% met the expected standard
Grayrigg CofE School7 milesOfsted: Good53% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary aided school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
3 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Emma Pomfret
Address
Orton, Penrith, CA10 3RG
URN
112419

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.