Cairn Education CIC is an independent special school in Cumbria, Westmorland and Furness, for children and young people aged 11 to 25.
- Ages 11–25
- 10 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 11 to 25
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 10 (places for 10)
- Headteacher
- Miss Rachael Thompson
- Opened
- 7 January 2022
- Council
- Westmorland and Furness
- School reference (URN)
- 148796
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Westmorland and Furness council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- An offer, and the council’s agreement
As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it doesn’t have to accept a place: the school has to offer one, and the council has to agree to name it in the plan.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Report card, March 2026: Strong standard in every area
Inspected in March 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- SafeguardingMet
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
The Tavern, 63 Main Street, Cumbria, LA8 9LN
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Cambian Whinfell School Independent · Ages 7–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 3.6 miles
- The Queen Katherine School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 4.2 miles
- Stramongate Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 4.3 miles
All SEND schools in Westmorland and Furness
By need in Westmorland and Furness: Autism (10) · Physical (9) · Severe learning (8) · Speech and language (6) · SEMH (5) · PMLD (5) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · Hearing (4) · Vision (4) · Multi-sensory (4) · Moderate learning (3)
Questions about Cairn Education CIC
How do I get a place at Cairn Education CIC?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Cairn Education CIC. As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it has to offer a place and the council has to agree to name it.
What ages does Cairn Education CIC take?
Aged 11 to 25, boys and girls.
What is Cairn Education CIC’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Cairn Education CIC?
The Tavern, 63 Main Street, Cumbria, LA8 9LN, in Westmorland and Furness.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.