Explore other schools in this area
See every school around LA15 8AH on an interactive map — Ofsted, phase filters, GCSE context where published, and Parent View themes.
Open schools map →🎓 SchoolSecondary
Dowdales School
Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA15 8AH, Westmorland and Furness
LocaleIQ Score
LocaleIQ Score
39.7 / 100
Bottom 40%
Better than 40% of all open schools in England. Composite of Ofsted, GCSE outcomes, and parent satisfaction.
Overview
Ofsted
Good
Pupils
827
Capacity
1,050
Ages
11–16
Gender
Mixed
Occupancy
79%
Summary
With a Good rating from Ofsted and a strong parent satisfaction rate of 92%, this secondary school offers a supportive environment for students aged 11-16. While the GCSE Attainment 8 score of 41.8 suggests room for improvement, the school performs better than 71% of schools nationally, and over half of students achieve at least a grade 4 in English and Maths. However, the EBacc entry rate is relatively low at 20%, indicating limited participation in the more rigorous curriculum.
Explore this location
Start from postcode LA15 8AH — compare nearby schools or open the full live area report.
Explore the area around Dowdales School
Crime trends, planning applications, licensed HMOs, roadworks, and neighbourhood context — the same postcode workflow LocaleIQ uses for moving and schools research.
Open area analysis →Ofsted inspection
Last inspected: 9 July 2019Older inspection ⓘLeadership & Management: Good
GCSE Results
| Metric | Value | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8Combined grade score across a pupil's best 8 GCSEs. Higher = stronger academic outcomes. National average ~46.7. | 41.8 | Bottom 29% UK |
| English & Maths — Standard pass (grade 4+)Share of pupils who achieved grade 4+ in both English and Maths. Grade 4 is the minimum threshold for most employers and sixth forms. National average ~64%. | 52% | Bottom 17% UK |
| English & Maths — Strong pass (grade 5+)Share of pupils achieving grade 5+ in both English and Maths. Required by many universities and competitive sixth-form programmes. National average ~44%. | 26% | Bottom 11% UK |
| EBacc — Entry rate% of pupils who sat GCSEs in the full EBacc suite: English, Maths, History or Geography, a language, and Sciences. Signals a broad academic curriculum. National average ~39%. | 20% | Bottom 26% UK |
| EBacc — Achievement (grade 5+)% of pupils who achieved grade 5+ across all EBacc subjects. Reflects both curriculum breadth and academic rigour. National average ~22%. | 12% | Bottom 26% UK |
Parent View (117 responses)
★★★★4.1
Good range of subjects
97%
Good range of extra-curricular
96%
My child is happy
92%
My child feels safe
92%
I'd recommend this school
92%
School has high expectations
88%
Progress is communicated
88%
My child makes good progress
87%
Behaviour is good
87%
School supports development
83%
School keeps me informed
76%
School responds to concerns
58%
Pupil Ethnicity
White British92.5%
Mixed W+Asian2.1%
Mixed W+B African1.3%
Mixed Other0.8%
White Other0.6%
Asian Chinese0.6%
Black African0.5%
Other0.4%
Mixed W+B Carib.0.2%
Asian Indian0.2%
Black Other0.1%
White Irish0.1%
traveller_irish0.1%
Location
Loading map…
54.15917, -3.18433 · LA15 8AH
School details
Local authorityWestmorland and Furness
RegionNorth West
URN112383
School typeCommunity school
Websitewww.dowdalesschool.co.uk/
Frequently asked questions
What is Dowdales School rated by Ofsted?
Dowdales School was rated "Good" by Ofsted at its last inspection on 9 July 2019.
Is Dowdales School a good school?
Dowdales School scores 39.7/100 on the LocaleIQ index, placing it in the bottom 40% of all open schools in England. The score is a composite of Ofsted inspection results, GCSE outcomes, and parent satisfaction surveys.
What do parents say about Dowdales School?
Based on 117 Ofsted Parent View responses, Dowdales School receives a satisfaction score of 81% across all parent survey questions.
How do pupils perform at Dowdales School in GCSEs?
Dowdales School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 41.8. 52% of pupils achieved grade 9–4 in English and Maths.
What are the best schools near LA15 8AH?
Use the LocaleIQ map to explore all schools near LA15 8AH with Ofsted ratings, GCSE results, and parent reviews overlaid. You can filter by Primary, Secondary, Nursery or College.