Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School

About Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School

Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School punches well above the local average when it comes to Key Stage 2 outcomes. In the 2023/24 academic year, 93% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Lancashire local authority average of just 60%. That is a striking 33 percentage point gap and places the school first out of 46 primary schools in the Lancaster district, and inside the top five per cent nationally. The school also performs strongly at the higher standard: 21% of pupils achieved greater depth across all three subjects, while 43% reached that level in maths and reading individually. Reading and writing saw every single pupil hit the expected benchmark. This is a small village primary — just 78 pupils on roll — that consistently delivers results that rival much larger schools across the region.

Ofsted visited in March 2024 and rated the school Good overall, with every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all judged Good. This marks a change from the school's previous inspection in 2013, when it was rated Outstanding. The current report notes that the school has maintained strong academic standards, with pupils making solid progress from their starting points. The school's Progress 8 scores are not available in the data, but the raw attainment figures tell their own story: a reading average score of 111 and a maths average of 109, both comfortably above the national average of 100. With only 6.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively advantaged intake, but the consistency of its results — particularly the 100% expected rates in reading and writing — suggests effective teaching across the board.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 34 applications for just 11 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.09. All 11 first-preference applicants were offered a place, but competition is fierce. Facilities include a music room, library, gymnasium, sports hall, ICT suite, chapel and playing fields, with sports on offer ranging from dance and football to cricket, gymnastics, swimming and cross country. Clubs include drama, coding, film club and book club. The school has nursery provision and supports pupils with a range of special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech, language and communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. For families who value strong academic outcomes in a Church of England setting with a small, community feel, Dolphinholme is a standout choice — but you will need to apply early and be prepared for a competitive admissions process.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents