Ofsted: Requires improvement emoji_events #66 in Cumberland public Top 80% UK

Black Combe Junior School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Catherine Dennison

location_onMillom, LA18 5DT

language Visit Website phone 1229772862

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

111

school

Expected Standard

50%

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Age Range

7-11

summarize

Black Combe Junior School is a Community school primary school in Millom, serving ages 7-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 80% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Black Combe Junior School is a community school in Millom, Cumberland, admitting pupils aged 7-11. The school has approximately 85 pupils on roll, of whom 33% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 50% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined. The school ranks #66 of 111 primaries in Cumberland and #11,198 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 16.5:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.6 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

50%

LA 55%

Reading78% LA 72%

Writing50% LA 68%

Maths89% LA 68%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

106

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

49%

LA 52%England 61%

Reading65% LA 70% · Eng 74%

Writing53% LA 66% · Eng 72%

Maths74% LA 66% · Eng 73%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

19%

LA 53%England 60%

Reading65% LA 70% · Eng 73%

Writing69% LA 67% · Eng 71%

Maths27% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

100

Maths SS

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.1

Read

LA -0.4

-4.5 to 0.3

0.9

Write

LA -0.2

-1.5 to 3.2

-4.2

Maths

LA -1.2

-6.5 to -1.8

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

62%

LA 64%England 65%

Reading77% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Writing77% LA 79% · Eng 78%

Maths81% LA 76% · Eng 79%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.4

Read

LA 0.2

-2.0 to 2.8

-0.3

Write

LA 0.3

-2.4 to 1.9

2.8

Maths

LA -0.8

0.7 to 4.8

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

45%

LA 64%

Reading59% LA 79%

Writing77% LA 79%

Maths73% LA 76%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

-3

Read

LA 0.4

-5.6 to -0.4

-0.7

Write

LA 0.5

-3.2 to 1.8

-2.5

Maths

LA -0.3

-4.8 to -0.2

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

02 July 2024

Inspection Report

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15 January 2019

Inspection Report

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07 May 2014

Inspection Report

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15 January 2013

Inspection Report

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29 June 2011

Inspection Report

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07 December 2009

Inspection Report

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12 July 2007

Inspection Report

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02 June 2003

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2024-07-02

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2019-01-15

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2014-05-07

None Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

1.2%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.2%(1 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 85 pupils. During this period, there were 1 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.2%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	85	1	1.2%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	87	0	0.0%	0.9%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	112	0	0.0%	0.8%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	112	1	0.9%	0.7%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	114	0	0.0%	0.8%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	111	6	5.4%	0.7%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	111	0	0.0%	0.6%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	110	0	0.0%	0.6%	1
2021/22 (Summer term)	116	8	6.9%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	114	6	5.3%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	114	1	0.9%	0.5%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	126	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	125	0	0.0%	0.1%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	125	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	102	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	102	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	98	0	0.0%	0.6%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	97	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	95	0	0.0%	0.5%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	94	0	0.0%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	101	3	3.0%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	101	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	101	0	0.0%	0.5%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	88	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	88	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	89	0	0.0%	0.5%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Specific Learning Difficulty 11 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 2 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 1 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

95.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

95.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

29.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree67%

agree24%

disagree10%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree19%

agree48%

disagree24%

don't know10%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree48%

agree33%

disagree5%

strongly disagree5%

not applicable10%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree43%

agree43%

disagree14%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree57%

agree43%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree24%

agree62%

disagree14%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree33%

agree57%

disagree10%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree57%

agree29%

disagree14%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree29%

agree43%

disagree24%

don't know5%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes95%

no5%

Top Primary Schools in Cumberland

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Bookwell Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Egremont, CA22 2LT

emoji_events #1 in LA

St Mary's Catholic Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Whitehaven, CA28 9PG

emoji_events #2 in LA

St Mary's Catholic Primary School

Good

location_on Workington, CA14 5LN

emoji_events #3 in LA

Beckstone Primary School

Good

location_on Workington, CA14 5PX

emoji_events #4 in LA

St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School

Good

location_on Wigton, CA7 9HZ

emoji_events #5 in LA

Stoneraise School

Good

location_on Carlisle, CA5 7AT

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Cumberland arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Cumberland

Bookwell Primary School

St Mary's Catholic Primary School

St Mary's Catholic Primary School

Beckstone Primary School

St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School

Stoneraise School