The Great British Schools Guide (GBSG) released data to reveal the schools where children feel most secure, as rated by parents, and how safety links to academic performance.
Using the most up-to-date responses from the government’s Parent View survey for the 2024-2025 academic year, the top ten safest schools in each Ofsted region have been revealed, and one in Cumbria was praised.
The safest school in the north West
Solway Community School in Siloth, was ranked the joint 18th safest school in the UK and the number one for its region.
On their website, they state: “Solway Community School is at the heart of the community in Silloth.
“Established over 50 years ago, we have a reputation as a school where students of all abilities excel. Our big strength is our small size – everyone knows everyone else; yet we are able to provide a wide range of courses to match learners’ strengths and interests.
“We know everyone – and we help them develop into unique and self-confident individuals. We are small but mighty.
Last month, students at Solway Community School were set to return to the classroom, but a roof collapse forced that to be postponed.
The school had been undergoing building and electrical works over the summer holiday.
A post on social media said that the school’s ‘primary concern’ was the safety of staff and pupils.
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Overall, the GBSG found that today, wellbeing and safety are higher up among priorities for parents when choosing a school for their children. As a result, Ofsted is recognising this shift, with the watchdog taking action to add a wellbeing category to its inspection framework.
Using the data from 6,538 schools in the 2024-2025 Parent View data, only ones that matched certain criteria were then included in the GBSG’s final report.
The final group of 249 state secondary schools in the UK all had the following in common; 30+ submissions, at least a 20 per cent response rate, listed as either an academy, free school or local authority-maintained school, and listed as either an all-through, secondary or middle-deemed-secondary.
