Ghyllside Primary School is a primary school in Kendal, serving pupils aged 3 to 11. The school is a academy converter and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school.
Ghyllside Primary School currently has around 449 pupils on roll, which is about 98% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 44.5% boys and 55.5% girls. Around 13.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The school has a diverse intake across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 4.8%. Persistent absence is recorded at 10.7%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (89.1%).
Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | Gillinggate, Kendal, LA9 4JB |
| Website: | http://www.ghyllside.cumbria.sch.uk |
| Telephone: | 01539814930 |
| School Type: | Academy converter |
| Education phase: | Primary |
| Local authority: | Westmorland and Furness |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mr Huw Davies |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 138744 |
Ofsted inspection date: 15/07/2025
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 3 - 11 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 459 |
| Number of Pupils: | 449 |
| Number of Boys: | 200 |
| Number of Girls: | 249 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 4.8% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 10.7% | 8.2% |
| White British | 89.10% | 400 |
| Other White | 6.90% | 31 |
| Other Mixed | 1.10% | 5 |
| Other Asian | 0.90% | 4 |
| Indian | 0.70% | 3 |
| White and Black African | 0.40% | 2 |
| White and Asian | 0.20% | 1 |
| Caribbean | 0.20% | 1 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.20% | 1 |
| Unclassified | 0.20% | 1 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.00% | 0 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish | 0.00% | 0 |
| Pakistani | 0.00% | 0 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
| Chinese | 0.00% | 0 |
| African | 0.00% | 0 |
| Other Black | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kendal Nursery School Brantfield , Queens Road LA9 4PH | 4out of 4 | 948 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghyllside Primary School Gillinggate , LA9 4JB | - not rated | 0 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ghyllside Primary School Gillinggate , LA9 4JB | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Vicarage Park CofE Primary School Vicarage Drive , LA9 5BP | 3out of 4 | 628 yd | Voluntary controlled school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Dean Gibson Catholic Primary School Hawesmead Avenue , LA9 5HB | - not rated | 761 yd | Voluntary aided school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Dean Gibson Catholic Primary School, Kendal Hawesmead Avenue , LA9 5HB | 3out of 4 | 761 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirkbie Kendal School Lound Road , LA9 7EQ | - not rated | 1,093 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Kirkbie Kendal School Lound Road , LA9 7EQ | 3out of 4 | 1,093 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| The Queen Katherine School Appleby Road , LA9 6PJ | - not rated | 2,427 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| The Queen Katherine School Appleby Road , LA9 6PJ | 3out of 4 | 2,427 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kendal College Milnthorpe Road , LA9 5AY | - not rated | 737 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Lakes Academy Riverside Centre , Yard 39 LA9 4ED | - not rated | 689 yd | Other independent special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Fellside School Queens Road , LA9 4PH | - not rated | 836 yd | Other independent special school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Hospital and Home Tuition Service (Cumbria) Kendal Tutorial Centre , Canal Head North LA9 7BY | - not rated | 1,075 yd | Pupil referral unit | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Kendal Centre Canal Head North , LA9 7BY | - not rated | 1,133 yd | Pupil referral unit | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Cambian Whinfell School 110 Windermere Road , LA9 5EZ | - not rated | 1,538 yd | Other independent special school | Not Applicable | Boys | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.