Bamford Primary School

About Bamford Primary School

Bamford Primary School is a small state primary in High Peak, Derbyshire, and the numbers suggest parents are keen to get their children in. The school received 19 applications for just 7 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.71. All 7 first-preference applicants were offered a spot, which is reassuring for families who put it top of their list. With only 59 pupils on roll against a capacity of 107, the school is running well below its maximum size, so the oversubscription is likely driven by the limited number of places available each year rather than a huge surge in demand. There is no Parent View data available to gauge current satisfaction, but the high first-preference rate and the fact that the school is oversubscribed both point to a positive local reputation. The headteacher is Kate Gemmell, and the school has no religious character, nursery provision, or sixth form.

Academically, Bamford Primary performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Derbyshire local authority average of just 59%. That places the school 5th out of 34 primary schools in High Peak and in the top 25% nationally. Pupils also achieved strong average scores of 109 in reading and 108 in maths, and 92% met the expected standard in both reading and maths individually. However, the proportion reaching the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined was only 8%, so while most children are hitting the expected level, fewer are exceeding it. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, the school was rated Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. This is a notable improvement from its previous inspection in 2010, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including an ICT suite, library, art studios, music rooms, gymnasium and even a chapel. Sports provision covers football, cross country, dance and gymnastics, and there are clubs for choir, art and science. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. Given the small cohort and high staff-to-pupil ratio implied by the low roll, this is likely a setting where individual attention is feasible. The school is best suited to families in the High Peak area who prioritise strong core academic outcomes in a small, community-focused environment and who are comfortable with a school that is oversubscribed but not enormous.

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