Curbar Primary School

About Curbar Primary School

Curbar Primary School is a small state primary in the Derbyshire Dales, part of the Derbyshire local authority, where it sits 9th out of 35 primary schools in the area. That puts it comfortably in the top quarter of its local peers, though it trails the three top-ranked schools in the district — Redhill Primary School, Wessington Primary School, and Longford CofE Primary School — all of which achieved a perfect ranking score of 100. With just 71 pupils on roll against a capacity of 74, Curbar is a genuinely intimate setting, and its headteacher Simon Beahan leads a school that has held a Good rating from Ofsted since its most recent graded inspection in November 2023. The school’s early years provision and behaviour and attitudes were both judged Outstanding in that inspection, while leadership and management, quality of education, and personal development all came in as Good. It’s a non-religious, mixed primary for children aged 4 to 11, with no nursery or sixth form.

Academically, Curbar performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 71% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Derbyshire local authority average of just 59%. The school’s ranking score of 71 on this metric places it in the top 50 nationally for its tier. Subject-level results are strong too: 86% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, maths and writing individually, and a notable 43% reached the higher standard in reading. Average scaled scores were 108 in reading and 107 in maths, both above the national benchmark of 100. Progress scores aren’t available in the data, but the raw attainment figures suggest solid teaching across the core subjects. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 25 applications for just 9 places, and all 9 first-preference applicants were offered a spot — a sign of its popularity among local families.

The school’s facilities include a sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, an ICT suite, and a chapel, and it offers a broad range of sports such as rounders, swimming, dance, football and athletics. Clubs cover coding, art, science and drama, giving pupils plenty of enrichment beyond the classroom. Curbar’s SEND provisions are well-documented, supporting children with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties. For families seeking a small, community-focused primary with strong academic outcomes and a good Ofsted record, Curbar is a compelling option — though its oversubscription means early application is essential. It suits parents who value a tight-knit school with solid results and a wide range of extracurricular activities.

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