St Charles' Catholic Voluntary Academy
76%
Capacity
168
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About St Charles' Catholic Voluntary Academy
St Charles' Catholic Voluntary Academy is a state primary in High Peak, Derbyshire, with 168 pupils on roll against a capacity of 222, meaning it is operating at around 76% of its maximum. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 23.8%, which is notably higher than the national average for primary schools and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. Despite this, the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 37 applications for 22 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.68, and all 22 first-preference applicants were offered a spot. This indicates that while the school is popular, it is not so oversubscribed that local families cannot secure a place. The school’s Roman Catholic character is reflected in its facilities, which include a chapel, and its headteacher is Ian Bowd.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022 rated it Good across all areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision. This marks a significant improvement from its previous inspection in February 2018, when it was rated Inadequate overall. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 53% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Derbyshire local authority average of 59%. However, average scores in reading (105) and maths (104) are in line with national expectations, and the school ranks 17th out of 34 schools in the High Peak area on the combined expected standard metric. The proportion achieving the higher standard in all three subjects is 6%, and in maths specifically it is 19%.
The school offers a range of facilities including an art studio, sports hall, ICT suite, playing fields and a chapel, and pupils can take part in sports such as tennis, athletics, cross country, swimming and cricket. Clubs include chess, choir and science club. SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, social and emotional mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families seeking a primary with a Catholic ethos in High Peak, St Charles’ offers a stable, improving environment with strong demand but realistic admission chances. Its above-average FSM intake suggests a genuinely inclusive community, and the range of SEND support makes it a practical choice for children with additional needs.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | The Carriage Drive, Glossop, High Peak, SK13 1PJ |
| Headteacher | Ian Bowd |
| Local Authority | Derbyshire |
| Number of Pupils | 168 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 23.8% |
| School Capacity | 168 / 222 (76% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
2 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 12 Dec 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (53%)
10049th of 13,686
Nationally
958th of 1,353
In East Midlands
17th of 34
In High Peak
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
53%
Expected Standard
6%
Higher Standard
'22/23
63%
'23/24
53%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
8Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed22
37
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
22 families put this school as their 1st choice (59% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British82.7%
- Mixed6.6%
- White (other)4.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
10
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Charles' Catholic Voluntary Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
The Carriage Drive, Glossop
High Peak, SK13 1PJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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