Wigley Primary School

About Wigley Primary School

Wigley Primary School is a small state primary in North East Derbyshire that clearly inspires strong loyalty among local families. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 25 applications for just 8 places, giving it an oversubscription ratio of 3.13 to one. Nine of those applications were first-preference choices, and all eight places went to first-preference families, which suggests that those who want a place here tend to put it at the top of their list. The school is genuinely tiny — it currently has 53 pupils against a capacity of 44, meaning it is actually running slightly over its official number. That level of demand in a small village school is a practical signal that parents who get a place tend to be pleased with what they find. Executive headteacher David Ratcliffe leads the school, which has no religious character and serves children from age 5 to 11.

Academically, Wigley performs around the middle of the pack. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 63% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — just above the Derbyshire local authority average of 59%. The school ranks 19th out of 35 primary schools in North East Derbyshire on this measure, placing it in the bottom half of the local league table, and 102nd out of 353 schools of the same type across the wider authority. At the higher standard, 25% of pupils achieved that level across all three subjects. Reading was a relative strength, with 88% reaching the expected standard and an average scaled score of 105. Maths and writing both saw 63% at expected, with maths averaging a score of 102. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in February 2022, confirmed it remains Good, a rating it has held consistently across inspections.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including a library, music rooms, an ICT suite, a gymnasium and a chapel, plus an outdoor playground. Sports on offer include athletics, cricket, netball, dance, cross country and swimming, and there are clubs such as book club, chess, coding, film club, art club and choir. For children with additional needs, the school has identified provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that will particularly suit families looking for a very small, community-focused primary where their child is likely to be known well by staff. The high oversubscription ratio means it is not an easy school to get into, so parents should be prepared to apply early and have a solid second choice lined up.

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