Appleby Grammar School
Academy converter · sixth form · 357 pupils
74% stayed in education · Attainment 8 40.7
Academy converter
The Queen Katherine School
- Pupils on roll
- 910of 1,465 places
- Free school meals
- 17.4%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 165
- Ofsted
- Report card, 6 May 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Expected standardAchievement Expected standardAttendance and behaviour Strong standardPersonal development and wellbeing Strong standardInclusion Strong standardLeadership and governance Strong standardPost-16 provision Strong standardSafeguarding Met
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The Queen Katherine School (URN 112431, until 1 April 2011).
What the data says
Of the 148 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Queen Katherine School in 2023, 49% stayed on in The Queen Katherine School’s own sixth form (Westmorland and Furness average 32%), 34% went to a further education college and 6% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 77 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 44% went to university (Westmorland and Furness 27%, England 37%), and 37% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Design and Technology is unusually popular at GCSE: 37% of the year group took it, against 11% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 48.8 against 46.1 across England and 45.4 in Westmorland and Furness, with 50% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Westmorland and Furness and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Queen Katherine School | Westmorland and Furness | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 148 | 2,451 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 99% | 95% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 82% | 78% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 49% | 32% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | — | 13% |
| — further education college | 34% | 45% | 37% |
| — other education | 0% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 11% | 3% |
| Employment | 10% | 5% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 1% | 4% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 0% | 1% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Queen Katherine School | Westmorland and Furness | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 77 | 2,081 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 90% | 83% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 44% | 27% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 37% | — | 19% |
| Further education | 8% | 6% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 9% | 16% | 7% |
| Employment | 27% | 34% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 10% | 13% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Queen Katherine School | Westmorland and Furness | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 48.8 | 45.4 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 50% | 42% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 67% | 63% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 30% | 24% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.27 | 3.90 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 18% | 17% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 36.2 | 34.1 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 51.7 | 47.7 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 8% | 5% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 164 | 99% | 89% | 18% | 20% | 70% |
| Mathematics | 164 | 99% | 88% | 24% | 22% | 75% |
| English Literature | 156 | 95% | 86% | 19% | 21% | 76% |
| Combined Science | 130 | 79% | 65% | 5% | 9% | 65% |
| History | 98 | 59% | 41% | 21% | 26% | 60% |
| Geography | 64 | 39% | 41% | 34% | 25% | 81% |
| Design and Technology | 61 | 37% | 11% | 28% | 23% | 84% |
| Spanish | 61 | 37% | 19% | 23% | 27% | 84% |
| Religious Studies | 53 | 32% | 31% | 42% | 32% | 85% |
| Physical Education | 46 | 28% | 11% | 15% | 24% | 76% |
| Fine Art | 39 | 24% | 9% | 33% | 28% | 90% |
| Statistics | 32 | 19% | 5% | 0% | 20% | 91% |
| Chemistry | 32 | 19% | 23% | 78% | 47% | 100% |
| Physics | 32 | 19% | 23% | 72% | 46% | 100% |
| Biology | 32 | 19% | 23% | 59% | 45% | 100% |
| Business Studies | 26 | 16% | 18% | 23% | 20% | 62% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 21 | 13% | 8% | 19% | 21% | 76% |
| Music | 14 | 8% | 5% | 43% | 33% | 64% |
| Computer Science | 14 | 8% | 13% | 57% | 30% | 93% |
| Photography | 13 | 8% | 6% | 15% | 19% | 100% |
| Polish | 2 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Studies | 40 | 54% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 35 | 47% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 20 | 27% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 9 | 12% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Queen Katherine School | Westmorland and Furness | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 137 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 74 | 893 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | B- | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 35.03 | 32.79 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 24% | 16% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | 26 | 35% | 10% |
| History | 22 | 30% | 13% |
| English Language and Literature | 20 | 27% | 2% |
| Psychology | 19 | 26% | 23% |
| Mathematics | 19 | 26% | 31% |
| Sociology | 14 | 19% | 13% |
| Economics | 12 | 16% | 13% |
| Biology | 11 | 15% | 20% |
| Fine Art | 10 | 14% | 3% |
| Physics | 8 | 11% | 12% |
| Religious Studies | 8 | 11% | 4% |
| Further Mathematics | 6 | 8% | 5% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| Product Design | — | — | 2% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 25 | 34% | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 15 | 20% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 8% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 8% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Physics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Religious Studies | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Sociology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Physics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Religious Studies | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Sociology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Speech and Drama | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Music performance: Group | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Westmorland and Furness
Cartmel Priory CofE School
Academy converter · 371 pupils
85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.2
Chetwynde School
Free schools · 508 pupils
76% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.2
Dallam School
Academy converter · sixth form · 761 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.1
Dowdales School
Community school · 877 pupils
70% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.8
Furness Academy
Academy sponsor led · 1,187 pupils
72% stayed in education · Attainment 8 42.4
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.