Schools by area › Cumberland › The Whitehaven Academy
The Whitehaven Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Sponsored academy
Cleator Moor Road, Whitehaven CA28 8TY · whitehavenacademy.org.uk · 01946 595400
On the mapSearch near CA28 8TY
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected May 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 39.7
- average Attainment 8 score. Cumberland 42.3, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 859
- 59% of 1,465 places
- Local authority
- Cumberland
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 29.8%
- First language not English
- 1%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 180 families put the school first and 170 places were offered; 94% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 170 | 180 | 1.1▲ | 94% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 169 | 166 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 174 | 206 | 1.2▲ | 84% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 173 | 169 | 1 | 99% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 169 | 122 | 0.7 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 39.7, and 32.5% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Cumberland it was 42.3, and across England 46.
In 2018/19 the average A level result was grade E+ (12 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼39.7 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼32.5% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼50.0% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼8.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.26 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 140406)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 37 | +11.5 |
| Sixth form college | 0.8 | — |
| Further education | 33.9 | −8.7 |
| Apprenticeship | 11 | +3.6 |
| Employment | 4.7 | −4.9 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 8.7 | +0.2 |
| Activity not captured | 3.9 | −2.5 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
Applied general average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 students | Merit+ (27.8) | Average +0.01 |
| Earlier years: Applied general | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 9 | Dist- (31.3) | +0.08 |
| 2022/23 | 7 | Dist- (31.2) | — |
| 2021/22 | 6 | Merit+ (26.9) | — |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| Further education | 22.2 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 44.4 | −5.6 |
| Employment | 22.2 | +5.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 11.1 | — |
Ofsted
The Whitehaven Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 23 May 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 23 May 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
Previously: Inadequate, graded inspection, Oct 2016
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 140406), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Oct 2016Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate 16 to 19 study programmes Inadequate Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 140406)
What parents said
86% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (102 replies, to 1 April 2024).
- Recommend
- 86%
- Replies
- 102
- 15% · 1 Apr 2024
based on the 82% who raised concerns
based on the 36% who had a child bullied
based on 18 parents (18%) with SEND