Secondary school

The Whitehaven Academy

  • Academy Sponsor Led
  • ages 11–18
  • Mixed
  • Cumberland
  • CA28 8TY
  • Sixth form
Ofsted Good · inspected May 2023

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 2,620 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 80%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 99%99%2016/17: top 99%2017/18: top 90%2018/19: top 85%2021/22: top 91%2022/23: top 94%2023/24: top 70%70% · 2023/242024/25: top 80%No exams

Against North West

Attainment 839.7 · North West 44.43/10 Below+11.9 pts since 21/22
Grade 5+ English and maths32.5% · North West 40%4/10 Below+17.1 pts since 21/22
EBacc point score3.26 · North West 3.822/10 Well below North West+7.5 pts since 21/22
Progress 8 · 2023/24-0.24 · North West −0.165/10 Middle+23.9 pts since 18/19
A level points per entryNot enough data · North West 32.9Suppressed in 2024/25 (too few pupils to publish)
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 37.1 · 149 pupils · North West 49.62016/17: 31.1 · 97 pupils · North West 45.42017/18: 37.4 · 73 pupils · North West 45.052018/19: 39 · 96 pupils · North West 45.12021/22: 38.6 · 94 pupils · North West 46.92022/23: 34.5 · 76 pupils · North West 44.32023/24: 41.7 · 127 pupils · North West 442024/25: 39.7 · 126 pupils · North West 44.441.731.1No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 11% · 97 pupils · North West 37%2017/18: 23% · 73 pupils · North West 38%2018/19: 34% · 96 pupils · North West 38%2021/22: 29% · 94 pupils · North West 45%2022/23: 16% · 76 pupils · North West 39%2023/24: 38.6% · 127 pupils · North West 39.7%2024/25: 32.5% · 126 pupils · North West 40%38.6%11%No exams
A level points per entry
2015/16: 18.92 · 67 pupils · North West 28.42016/17: 17.9 · 45 pupils · North West 29.242017/18: 16.86 · 44 pupils · North West 30.22018/19: 12 · 6 pupils · North West 31.62021/22: withheld (1 pupils)2022/23: withheld2023/24: withheld2024/25: withheld18.9212No exams

Withheld 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in93.9%
169 of 180 who put it first2024 · 84.5%2026 · 93.9%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st180169
2nd1321
3rd440

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2016–2023

  1. 2016Inadequateas predecessor
  2. 2017Ungraded visitas predecessor
  3. 2023Good

5 strong areas

  • Personal development
  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Sixth form provision
  • Effectiveness of leadership and management

0 weak areas

5 areas graded · safeguarding effective

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 2026859
Free school meals (past 6 years)32.2%
First language not English0.4%
SEN support16.8%
EHC plan3.1%
Absence (sessions missed)8.7%
Persistently absent pupils23.7%

Girls 49.8%Boys 50.3%

58.6% full · 1,465 places · 45 in sixth form

Parent View

Not published for this school

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher18.8
Pupils per adult11.7
  • Classroom teachers 40.6
  • Leadership 5
  • Teaching assistants 21.8
  • Other support 16

Teachers 45.6 FTE · Whole workforce 83.5 · 87 people

Financials · 2024/25

Income per pupil£8,001
Spend per pupil£6,940
Staff spend per pupil£5,610
Reserve per pupil£393
  • +£321,000revenue reserve
  • +£866,000in-year balance

Grants £7,873 · self-generated £129 · premises £346 per pupil

Multi-academy trust: CUMBRIA EDUCATION TRUST (17 academies) · trust reserve £3,309,000 · Reserves in a multi-academy trust belong to the trust; this academy's figures include the share of central costs the trust gives it

Destinations · 2023/24 leavers

After Year 11

127 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained87.4%
  • Education71.7%
  • Apprenticeship11%
  • Employment4.7%
  • Not sustained8.7%
  • Unknown3.9%

After sixth form (16–18)

9 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained88.9%
  • Education22.2%
  • Higher education0%
  • Apprenticeship44.4%
  • Employment22.2%
  • Not sustained11.1%
  • Unknown0%