Pilsley CofE Primary School

About Pilsley CofE Primary School

Pilsley CofE Primary School sits in the Derbyshire Dales and, on its headline KS2 metric, lands almost exactly in line with the local authority average. The school achieved 58% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Derbyshire average of 59% for primary schools. That puts it at 17th out of 35 schools in the Derbyshire Dales ranking, and 128th out of 353 primary schools across the wider county. While it doesn't break into the top tier, it's a solidly middle-of-the-pack performer that avoids the bottom of the table. The school's national percentile of roughly 60 means it sits just above the median for England. For a small village primary with only 70 pupils, this consistency against the LA average is a reasonable baseline — neither a standout nor a concern, but a reliable, steady outcome.

Digging into the 2023/24 KS2 results, the picture is more mixed. Reading and writing both saw 75% of pupils reach the expected standard, which is healthy, but maths lagged behind at 67%. At the higher standard, the gaps widen: 17% hit the higher benchmark in reading, but only 8% did so in maths and writing. The average scaled scores tell a similar story — 104 in reading, 102 in maths — both above the national baseline of 100, but not dramatically so. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in 2022, confirmed it 'remains Good', consistent with its graded inspection back in 2012. The leadership and management, and overall effectiveness, both scored a 2 (Good) in that graded inspection. There's no Progress 8 data available for this primary, so it's hard to say how much value the school adds, but the raw outcomes suggest pupils leave with broadly solid foundations.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it had 14 applications for 8 places, with all 8 first-preference offers going to local families. That oversubscription ratio of 1.75 suggests a strong local reputation, particularly for a Church of England school in a small village. Facilities are generous for a school of this size — a sports hall, playing fields, library, gymnasium, sensory room, music rooms and even a chapel. SEND provision covers moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health, speech and language, and other difficulties, which is reassuring for families with additional needs. Clubs include coding, chess and eco club, and there's nursery provision from age 3. This is a school that suits families who want a small, community-focused primary with a Church of England character, decent facilities, and results that track the local average without any surprises.

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