Austin Friars
Same Cumberland area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Lime House School is a private secondary-stage school in Carlisle, Cumbria, with a published age range of 7-18.
Private school Co-ed Ages 7-18 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 7-18
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
Lime House School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 7-18
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Lime House School has occupied Holm Hill, Dalston since 1899. Its co-educational route runs from the primary years through Sixth Form, with day and boarding pupils sharing the same setting. Entry is open to UK and international applicants, with placement guided by age and previous education and an academic assessment from Year 4.
Traditional subjects sit alongside vocational possibilities, and each pupil has a Personal Development Tutor for academic progress and general welfare. Applications include supporting documents, an interview and assessment before a place is confirmed. The process is therefore shaped around the individual pupil rather than a single age-wide examination.
Boarding is available in full, weekly and flexible forms. Full boarders remain during term time, weekly boarders stay Monday to Friday, and flexible boarders book particular nights. Twenty-four-hour pastoral support, individual tours and open days give the residential side of the institution a clear practical structure.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 20% grade 5+ in English and maths and 26.9 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 10% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Cumberland and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 26.9
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 20%
- EBacc APS
- 2.17
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Cumberland and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 7-18
- Headteacher
- Mr Michael Smith
- Pupil roll
- 54 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Holm Hill, Dalston, Carlisle, Cumbria
- Postcode
- CA5 7BX
- Area
- Cumberland
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mr Michael Smith
School contact
- School phone
- 01228710225
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01228710225
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 7-18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Boarding fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 26.9 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 26.7% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 20% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 2.17 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 10% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 30.91 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 4 October 2024
Use the latest ISI report for inspection detail.
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Non-Routine Inspections 2024 records an inspection beginning 4 October 2024. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Lime House School handle admissions?
Lime House School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Lime House School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Lime House School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Lime House School?
Lime House School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 4 October 2024.