St Margaret's Catholic Voluntary Academy

About St Margaret's Catholic Voluntary Academy

St Margaret's Catholic Voluntary Academy is a small primary school in the High Peak area of Derbyshire, and its pupil numbers tell a striking story. With just 40 pupils on roll against a capacity of 161, the school is operating at roughly a quarter of its potential size. That low occupancy sits alongside a very high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals — 60 per cent, which is well above the national average and suggests the school serves a community with significant economic need. Despite the small intake, demand is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 14 applications for just 4 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.5 to one. All four first-preference applicants were offered a place, but the numbers show that many families who wanted a spot were unable to secure one. The school is a Roman Catholic voluntary academy, which may shape its admissions criteria, and it draws from a local authority where only 9 out of 353 primary schools hold an Outstanding rating.

Academically, St Margaret's has seen a clear improvement trajectory. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2016, the school was rated Good overall, with leadership and management and early years provision both judged Good. That marked a notable step up from the previous graded inspection in 2014, when the school was rated Requires Improvement across the board. An ungraded inspection in February 2023 confirmed that the school remains Good, with inspectors noting that it had sustained its quality. The early years provision was again rated Good. The school does not publish Key Stage 2 results in the available data, so it is not possible to compare its SATs performance against the Derbyshire local authority average of 59 per cent achieving the expected standard. However, the Ofsted trajectory — from Requires Improvement to Good, with a subsequent ungraded check confirming no decline — suggests a school that has stabilised and is now performing reliably.

The school offers a range of facilities including a chapel, library, ICT suite, gymnasium, playing fields and an outdoor playground, and pupils can take part in sports such as tennis, swimming, athletics, cricket and gymnastics. Clubs include drama, choir, chess, book club and eco club. For children with additional needs, the school lists support for moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs, and hearing impairment. With its small roll and high FSM rate, St Margaret's is likely to suit families who value a close-knit, faith-based setting and who are comfortable with a school that is still building its reputation. The oversubscription figures suggest that for those who can secure a place, it is a popular choice locally, though the small cohort size is something to weigh up when considering the breadth of peer interaction available.

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