The Nelson Thomlinson SchoolCaldew School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
The Nelson Thomlinson School and Caldew School are secondary schools.
The Nelson Thomlinson School scores 57 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Caldew School scores 55 out of 100 (grade C, average). The Nelson Thomlinson School is ahead on our composite score.
The Nelson Thomlinson School was judged Good and Caldew School was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 46.2 for The Nelson Thomlinson School and 44.3 for Caldew School.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at The Nelson Thomlinson School (51.1 in 2021-22, 46.2 in 2024-25) and has held broadly level at Caldew School (46.1 in 2021-22, 44.3 in 2024-25).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | WigtonThe Nelson Thomlinson School | CarlisleCaldew School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C57/100Stronger figure | C55/100 | |
| Local ranking | 4th of 19 in Cumberland Stronger figure | 7th of 19 in Cumberland | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Voluntary controlled school | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,160 | 989 | |
| Capacity | Not reported | 1,050 | |
| Location | Wigton, CA7 9PX | Carlisle, CA5 7NN | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 46.2 Stronger figure | 44.3 | 46.0 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 46.9% Stronger figure | 38.7% | 45.4% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 73.7% Stronger figure | 61.9% | 64.8% |
| Entering EBacc | 20.1% | 40.5% Stronger figure | 40.5% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.04 Stronger figure | 3.99 | 4.09 |
| Cohort | 194 | 168 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 79 | 61 | |
| A-level average points | 29.3 Stronger figure | 26.2 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C | C- | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 30.0 | 30.8 Stronger figure | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 10.8% Stronger figure | 8.3% | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,160 | 989 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 14.2% | 20.4% | |
| English as an additional language | 3.8% | 3.8% | |
| SEN support | 14.6% | 12.4% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.2% | 5.7% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 9.1% | 8.7% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 23.4% Stronger figure | 25.2% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
A-level average points
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
The Nelson Thomlinson School
Caldew School
Full profiles: The Nelson Thomlinson School · Caldew School