Dilhorne Endowed CofE Primary School

About Dilhorne Endowed CofE Primary School

Dilhorne Endowed CofE Primary School is a small Church of England primary in the Staffordshire Moorlands, part of the Staffordshire local authority. Among the 19 primary schools in its immediate area, it ranks first, placing it firmly ahead of local peers. Its closest competitors at the top of the rankings include St John's Catholic Primary School, Needwood CofE Primary School, and Woodseaves CE Primary Academy, all of which share the same perfect ranking score. Across the wider West Midlands region, Dilhorne sits sixth out of 1,378 primary schools, and nationally it ranks 48th out of 13,686 — a position that puts it in the top 0.4% of all primary schools in the country. With just 45 pupils on roll against a capacity of 52, the school is small by design, and its Church of England character gives it a distinct identity within the local landscape. The nearest outstanding-rated primary is St Filumena's Catholic Primary School, 2.8 km away.

Academically, Dilhorne's most recent Key Stage 2 results are striking. Every single pupil reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined — a 100% rate that far exceeds the Staffordshire local authority average of 65%. In reading, 44% of pupils achieved the higher standard, and the average reading score was 110. Maths also performed well, with an average score of 105 and 11% reaching the higher standard. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2022, rated it Good overall, with two standout areas: behaviour and attitudes, and early years provision, both judged Outstanding. This is a notable improvement from the school's previous inspection in 2018, when it was rated Requires Improvement. Leadership and management, quality of education, and personal development all received Good grades. There is no sixth form, and the school does not offer nursery provision, so its focus is squarely on the primary years.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 16 applications for just 6 places, with all 5 first-preference applicants offered a spot. Facilities include a sensory room, forest school, chapel, and both a gymnasium and sports hall, alongside outdoor playgrounds and playing fields. Sports on offer include athletics, cricket, rounders, gymnastics, and football, while clubs range from chess and coding to gardening, film club, choir, and science club. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families looking for a high-performing, small-scale primary with a strong Church of England ethos, where academic expectations are high and the environment is deliberately intimate.

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