Whitfield St James' CofE (VC) Primary School

About Whitfield St James' CofE (VC) Primary School

Whitfield St James' CofE (VC) Primary School is a state primary in High Peak, Derbyshire, with a Church of England character. It currently has 319 pupils on roll against a capacity of 360, meaning there is some headroom in the school's physical space. However, the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 61 total applications for 39 places, and all 39 first-preference applicants were offered a spot. That oversubscription ratio of 1.56 to 1 suggests a popular local choice. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 31.6%, which is notably higher than the national primary average of around 23% and well above the Derbyshire local authority average of roughly 19%. This indicates the school serves a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage, making its academic outcomes particularly interesting to examine.

Academically, Whitfield St James' performs solidly against local benchmarks. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is above the Derbyshire local authority average of 59%. The school ranks 9th out of 34 primary schools in the High Peak area, placing it in the top 27% locally. Nationally, it sits at the 46th percentile, a respectable mid-table position. Individual subject scores are strong: average reading scaled score of 106, maths 105, with 83% reaching expected in reading and 78% in maths. Higher-standard attainment is more modest — 31% in reading and 25% in maths — but the school's progress scores are not available in the data. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2023 rated it Good across all categories, a clear improvement from the Requires Improvement rating it received in June 2019.

The school offers a range of facilities including a sensory room, forest school, art studios, music rooms, library and chapel, plus a dining hall. Sports provision covers swimming, netball, gymnastics, athletics, rounders, dance and cross country, with clubs extending into coding, drama, choir, art and film. SEND support is well-documented, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and social, emotional and mental health needs. Nursery provision is available from age 3. For families in High Peak, particularly those seeking a Church of England primary with strong SEND support and above-average KS2 outcomes relative to the local authority, Whitfield St James' is a practical choice — oversubscribed but not impossibly so, and with a clear trajectory of improvement under headteacher Craig Woodward.

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