Dore Primary School

About Dore Primary School

Dore Primary School holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025, a change from its previous Outstanding grade in 2015. The inspection judged all areas as Good, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. On the key academic metric for primary schools, 66% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year. That figure sits above the Sheffield local authority average of 57%, placing Dore 32nd out of 106 primary schools in the area. The school also performs well on higher attainment: 10% of pupils reached the higher standard across all three subjects, while 36% achieved a higher score in reading specifically. Average scaled scores of 105 in maths and 106 in reading further underline solid academic performance, though the school does not publish progress scores for any subject.

The school is noticeably oversubscribed, with 140 applications for 60 places in the 2025/26 intake, and 57 of those offers going to first-preference families. That level of demand suggests a strong local reputation. Parents responding to Ofsted's Parent View survey between September 2024 and September 2025 were overwhelmingly positive: 94% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 92% felt their child is safe. On academic expectations, 82% agreed the school has high expectations, and 87% said their child does well. However, the SEND support question drew a more mixed response, with 64% agreeing or strongly agreeing that children with special educational needs get the support they need, while 30% disagreed or strongly disagreed. The school lists provisions for dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder.

Facilities include a forest school, sensory room, gymnasium, playing fields, and a chapel, with clubs covering book club, gardening and drama. Sports on offer include cross country, dance, tennis, athletics and rounders. The school has a nursery provision for children from age three and runs slightly above its official capacity of 450, with 484 pupils on roll. Just 7.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average, which fits with the school's suburban Sheffield location. Dore Primary is a good fit for families who prioritise strong core academic results and a broad range of enrichment activities, and who are comfortable navigating a competitive admissions process. Those with children who have SEND needs may want to explore the school's specific support arrangements in more detail before applying.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Dore Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents