Queen Elizabeth Grammar School tops Cumbria GCSE rankings

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 8 Nov, 11:39 · Archive

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith achieved the highest Attainment 8 score in north and west Cumbria with 65.2, according to provisional 2025/26 data.

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith has topped the latest secondary school performance rankings for north and west Cumbria, with an Attainment 8 score of 65.2. The Department for Education released the provisional data for the 2025/26 academic year on 15 October.

Attainment 8 measures pupil achievement across eight qualifications, including English, maths, three English Baccalaureate subjects, and three further approved qualifications, with extra weighting given to English and maths. Keswick School placed second in the region with a score of 50.9, followed by Cockermouth School with 47.9.

All three top-performing schools scored above the national average for state-funded schools, which was 46.2. Queen Elizabeth Grammar School also achieved the highest percentage of students earning a Grade 5 or above in English and maths at 85.4%.

In the Westmorland and Furness authority specifically, Queen Elizabeth School in Kirkby Lonsdale placed second with 58.4, and Kirkby Stephen Grammar School third with 50.2. Cartmel Priory CofE School, The Queen Katherine School in Kendal, Ulverston Victoria High School, and Kirkbie Kendal School all finished above the national average. The average Attainment 8 score across Westmorland and Furness was 45.6, slightly below national results.

The Department for Education noted that results should not be seen as a definitive assessment of teaching quality, as they can be influenced by factors such as pupil intake, admissions policies, and the range of subjects offered.

How it is being reported

• Ranked - Best secondary schools in Westmorland and Furness revealed in new GCSE dataQueen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith claimed top spot based on provisional data from the Department for Education.Westmorland Gazette · 8 Nov, 11:00
• Ranked - Best secondary schools in Westmorland and Furness revealed in new GCSE dataQueen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith claimed top spot based on provisional data from the Department for Education.NW Evening Mail · 8 Nov, 11:00
• Every secondary school in north and west Cumbria ranked by GCSE resultsSee how secondary schools across Carlisle, Penrith, west Cumbria and the surrounding areas rank in the latest provisional GCSE data.Cumberland News · 7 Nov, 12:13
• Every secondary school in north and west Cumbria ranked by GCSE resultsSee how secondary schools across Carlisle, Penrith, west Cumbria and the surrounding areas rank in the latest provisional GCSE data.Whitehaven News · 7 Nov, 12:13

In this story: Queen Elizabeth Grammar School · Penrith · Keswick School · Cockermouth School · Department for Education · Westmorland and Furness · Cumbria

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