School profile

The Nelson Thomlinson School

Secondary · Voluntary controlled school · Wigton, CA7 9PX

Good

Map showing The Nelson Thomlinson School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,167 of 3,312

Worse than 65% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,618 of 2,536

Worse than 63% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Nelson Thomlinson School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 17 Oct 2023

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeVoluntary controlled school
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,095
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Sam Northwood
Local authorityCumberland
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 112397.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolCumberlandEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.43.1, worse than England, better than Cumberland40.846.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.57.9%, worse than England, better than Cumberland54.8%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.36%, worse than England, similar to Cumberland33.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.6.6%, worse than England, similar to Cumberland5.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths53.3%, worse than England, similar to Cumberland50.3%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4197--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolCumberlandEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.31.43, worse than England, similar to Cumberland31.835
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels32.16, worse than England, similar to Cumberland33.9835.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better10.8%, worse than England, worse than Cumberland15.4%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.19, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study89--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.c--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,095
Girls587
Boys508
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.13.1%
First language not English4.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,430
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.23.4%
Sixth form places2024/25305
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.187
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.26
Average class size18.8

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
92.1%
Other White
2.9%
African
1%
Other mixed
0.6%
Pakistani
0.6%
Other ethnic group
0.6%
White and Asian
0.3%
Indian
0.3%
Gypsy/Roma
0.2%
Other Asian
0.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.4
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.9
Teachers (FTE)71.23
Teaching assistants (FTE)18.99
Support staff (FTE)44.24
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2573.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2569.6
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253.9

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.170
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.243
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.163
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.163
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)7

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolCumberlandEngland
Overall absence9.7%, worse than England, worse than Cumberland8.6%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.25.5%, worse than England, worse than Cumberland23.2%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.5.3%, worse than England, worse than Cumberland3.8%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate11.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions7.9%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.93.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.76.8%
School sixth form42%
Further education34.8%
Apprenticeship12.1%
Employment4.8%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.4%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.84.8%
Higher education47.5%
Employment20.2%
Apprenticeship15.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.11.1%
Further education2%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near The Nelson Thomlinson School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryThomlinson Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.3 miPrimaryWigton Nursery and Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimarySt Cuthbert's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Nelson Thomlinson School

What is The Nelson Thomlinson School's Ofsted rating?

The Nelson Thomlinson School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 17 Oct 2023.

How does The Nelson Thomlinson School rank in England?

The Nelson Thomlinson School ranks 2,167 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 65% of schools) and 1,618 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 63% of schools).

What are The Nelson Thomlinson School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 36% of pupils at The Nelson Thomlinson School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 43.1 (England 46.2).

What are The Nelson Thomlinson School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Nelson Thomlinson School was C, and 10.8% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into The Nelson Thomlinson School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Nelson Thomlinson School made 170 offers from 243 applications (1.4 per offer), and 163 of 163 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Nelson Thomlinson School?

The Nelson Thomlinson School has 1,095 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of The Nelson Thomlinson School?

The Nelson Thomlinson School had 1,430 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Nelson Thomlinson School have a sixth form?

Yes, The Nelson Thomlinson School has a sixth form with 305 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The Nelson Thomlinson School?

At The Nelson Thomlinson School, the average class had 18.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.4 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Nelson Thomlinson School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Nelson Thomlinson School missed 9.7% of sessions (England 8%), and 25.5% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.