Best Secondary Schools in Cumberland 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 19 schools across Cumberland. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Cumberland has 19 open secondary schools. Of the 19 with a published Ofsted inspection, 2 (11%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 79% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Keswick School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Cumberland follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

19
Total schools
2
Outstanding (historic grade)
11%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
56.6%
Avg KS2 SATs
35.9
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Keswick School
Secondary
 Outstanding 75 View school
🥈 Cockermouth School
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
🥉 The Nelson Thomlinson School
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
4. William Howard School
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
5. Millom School
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
6. Caldew School
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
7. St Benedict's Catholic High School
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
8. St John Henry Newman Catholic School
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
9. Workington Academy
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
10. The Whitehaven Academy
Secondary
 Good 52 View school
11. Richard Rose Morton Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 42 View school
12. Richard Rose Central Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 40 View school
13. Energy Coast UTC
Secondary
 Good 40 View school
14. St Josephs Catholic High School, Workington
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 39 View school
15. Trinity School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 39 View school
16. West Lakes Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 39 View school
17. Netherhall School
Secondary
 Good 37 View school
18. Solway Community School
Secondary
 Good 31 View school
19. Beacon Hill Community School
Secondary
 Good 25 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Cumberland

Best primary schools in CumberlandTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in CumberlandTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in CumberlandPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in CumberlandReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in Westmorland and FurnessCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BlackpoolCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in County DurhamCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in GatesheadCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Cumberland

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Cumberland?
There are 19 open secondary schools in Cumberland (closed schools are excluded). 2 of the 19 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Cumberland?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Cumberland is Keswick School. The full ranked table above lists the top 19 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Cumberland?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Cumberland?
Primary and secondary applications in Cumberland are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Cumberland council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.