Whaley Bridge Primary School

About Whaley Bridge Primary School

Whaley Bridge Primary School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018. The school received Good marks across all five categories inspected, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. On the most informative exam metric available, the school's Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 show that 43% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. This is notably below the Derbyshire local authority average of 59% for the same measure. In the local authority rankings, the school sits at 209 out of 353 primary schools, placing it in the bottom half of schools in the county. Within the High Peak area specifically, it ranks 26th out of 34 schools, and nationally it falls in the 89th percentile.

Looking deeper at the individual subject scores, the picture is mixed. In reading, 76% of pupils reached the expected standard and 24% achieved a higher standard, with an average scaled score of 104. Maths tells a similar story: 76% reached the expected standard, 14% achieved the higher standard, and the average score was also 104. Writing is where the school struggles most, with only 48% of pupils meeting the expected standard and none reaching the higher standard. The school has no progress scores available for reading, writing or maths, so it is difficult to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points. The school's overall ranking score of 43 is based on the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in all three subjects, which places it in the bottom 50% nationally.

The school is significantly undersubscribed relative to its capacity, with 137 pupils on roll against a capacity of 262. For 2025/26 admissions, it received 55 applications for 17 places, with all 17 first-preference applicants receiving offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.24. The school has a nursery provision for children aged 2 and offers a wide range of facilities including a forest school, art studios, music rooms, a sports hall and a chapel. SEND provisions are comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, autistic spectrum disorder, and social and emotional mental health needs, plus a resourced provision. Clubs include gardening, chess, science club, choir and film club, while sports on offer are gymnastics, football, rounders and cross country. This school may suit families who value its strong SEND support and improved Ofsted rating, but who are comfortable with academic outcomes that are below the local average.

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