Ireby CofE School

Voluntary controlled school · Primary, ages 3 to 11 · Mixed · Church of England · Nursery class

Ireby, Wigton, CA7 1DS

01697 371367 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 2 December 2014; confirmed 2024
Pupils38Room for 56 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 29 in 2019, 30 in 2021, 33 in 2022, 31 in 2023, 34 in 2024, 36 in 2025, 38 in 2026. Across England, primary state school pupil numbers were down 4% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.05 for 5 places, September 2026
Joint 2nd highest of 17 state primary schools in Wigton.
Higher than 52% of 15,826 state primary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 2 December 2014.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Outcomes for pupilsGood
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Early yearsGood

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 13 March 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Good.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.

Wigton comparisons use the 10 of its 18 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 8 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.

StatementThis schoolWigtonEngland
My child is happy at this school
Joint 1st highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wigton.
Higher than 82% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 96% 88%
My child feels safe at this school
Joint 1st highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wigton.
Higher than 80% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 97% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved
Joint 1st highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wigton.
Higher than 90% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 93% 84%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 17 parents who had raised a concern
3rd highest of 8 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wigton.
Higher than 86% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
94% 79% 76%
I would recommend this school to another parent
Joint 1st highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wigton.
Higher than 90% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100%said yes 90% 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Wigton figures pool parents at the Wigton schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Cumberland. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered5
Families who put it first5
Of those, offered a place5 (100%)
Families who listed it at all8

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 1.0

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

This is a Church of England school, but as a voluntary controlled school its admissions are set by the council, which usually doesn't prioritise by faith. Check the council's admissions criteria.

Admissions dates and schools in Cumberland

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolCumberlandEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
11th highest of 18 state primary schools in Wigton.
Higher than 15% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
9.4% 22.8%* 26.3%
With an education, health and care plan
Joint 16th highest of 18 state primary schools in Wigton.
Higher than 0% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
0.0% 4.3%* 3.5%
Receiving special educational needs support
18th highest of 18 state primary schools in Wigton.
Higher than 3% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
5.6% 13.3%* 15.0%
English as an additional language
3rd highest of 18 state primary schools in Wigton.
Higher than 21% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
2.8% 6.5%* 23.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
4th lowest of 18 state primary schools in Wigton.
Lower than 90% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
3.6% 4.8%* 5.2%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
3rd lowest of 18 state primary schools in Wigton.
Lower than 94% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
3.9% 10.3%* 13.0%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
Joint 1st lowest of 18 state primary schools in Wigton.
Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
0.0 1.6 2.5
Pupils suspended at least once
Joint 1st lowest of 18 state primary schools in Wigton.
Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
0.0% 0.8% 1.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.04% 0.03%
Pupils per teacher
15th highest of 18 state primary schools in Wigton.
Higher than 2% of 16,642 state primary schools in England.
12.0 19.0 20.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
15th highest of 18 state primary schools in Wigton.
Higher than 7% of 16,653 state primary schools in England.
7.6 9.6 10.6

Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26.

Questions parents ask

What is Ireby CofE School's Ofsted rating?

Ireby CofE School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 2 December 2014. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 13 March 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Good.

Would parents recommend Ireby CofE School?

100% of the 25 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Ireby CofE School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Is Ireby CofE School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 5 families put Ireby CofE School as their first choice for 5 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 5 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.