as based on pupil numbers the school's long-term future was in doubt. The application was processed by January 2013, with a decision from the Department of Education to be made by May 2013. Initial reception from parents was extremely positive and Chetwynde asked parents in the area to register their interest in order to aid the school's application. On 22 May 2013 Chetwynde announced that it had been successful in its application and became Cumbria's first free school in September 2014. In 2018, the school closed its sixth form due to low student numbers. Students now generally attend Barrow Sixth Form College located on the opposite side of Rating Lane to the school. Multi-academy trust Under pressure from the Department for Education through the issuing of a financial notice to improve, Chetwynde School began to seek a multi-academy trust to join. On 1 September 2021, the school joined South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, a local trust sponsored by Furness College. The school has now demonstrated sound finances and has had its financial notice to improve removed. Academics Chetwynde is consistently ranked as one of the county's top non-selective schools. In the 2011 GCSEs, pupils achieved a 100% pass rate with all gaining at least five "A*" to "C" grades, making Chetwynde the best school in Cumbria for GCSE results. That same year it also achieved the best A-level results in Cumbria, with 86% of grades at "A*" to "B". In 2013, Chetwynde School Sixth Form maintained its 100% A-Level pass rate for the fourth consecutive year. In the same year, 96% of Chetwynde's GCSE students achieved five or more A* to C grades. Sport In sport, the school has competitive rugby union, football, cricket, hockey, tennis, cross country running, basketball, and athletics teams. It is most notable for success in netball and swimming. Chetwynde is known for its highly successful swimming team. The school has achieved a number of national titles, being the only school to have won medals at every English National Schools' Primary Championship since their inauguration in 1995. They have represented England in international tournaments. Chetwynde has a formidable record in netball and it remains a popular sport with pupils. During the 1980s and 1990s, its teams dominated the English Schools Netball Association Championship. Cricket has also been a rising success for Chetwynde, as in the summer of 2018, Chetwynde's U13 and U15 Cricket team managed to reach