Darley Dale Primary School, Matlock
Darley Dale Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Matlock. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 16 schools in Matlock with published results, and 5,071st of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Derbyshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Darley Dale Primary School in detail
Darley Dale Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "A very warm welcome to Darley Dale Primary School. Darley Dale Primary School is a caring, vibrant and forward-thinking school with fantastic pupils, parents, staff and governors who all work closely together to make this happen."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include basketball, dance, orchestra, recorder, gardening and forest school.
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care until 6:00pm, from £11.00 per session.
Coming up: an open day on Thursday 21 January 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Derbyshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at Darley Dale Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in Derbyshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (73% in reading, 85% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Darley Dale Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 29 families put Darley Dale Primary School as their first choice and 58 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Darley Dale Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Darley Dale Primary School are Darley Churchtown Church of England Primary School (1 mile, Good, 80% reading, 80% maths); South Darley CofE Primary School (1 mile, Good, 75% reading, 56% maths); All Saints CofE Junior School (1.1 miles, Good, 88% reading, 90% maths); and All Saints CofE Infant School (1.4 miles, Good).
Darley Dale Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Darley Churchtown Church of England Primary SchoolSouth Darley CofE Primary SchoolAll Saints CofE Junior SchoolAll Saints CofE Infant School
What parents say
37 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Darley Dale Primary School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (83%).
Who goes there
1.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 23 pupils (10.7%) received SEN support and 7 (3.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Darley Dale (Peak Rail), about 870 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primary School (adjacent), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 17 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Darley Dale Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2019, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Darley Dale Primary School creates a welcoming, inclusive environment where children feel safe and loved. The school excels at early reading instruction and has developed an ambitious curriculum suited to all learners, including those with additional needs. Parents consistently praise the school, with many reporting their children have thrived both personally and academically.
Key Strengths
- Excellent early reading instruction with well-trained staff using phonics effectively and supporting pupils who fall behind
- High expectations for behaviour creating calm, respectful classrooms where pupils listen carefully and bullying is rare
- Ambitious, well-planned curriculum that builds knowledge progressively from Reception through Year 6
- Extensive enrichment opportunities including residential trips, clubs, visits and leadership roles that build confidence and resilience
- Strong safeguarding culture with effective processes and high attendance standards
Areas for Improvement
- Writing skills development is not yet fully embedded - pupils' written work across subjects is not as strong as it could be and needs consistent high standards
- School should provide more opportunities for pupils to apply writing skills across the curriculum for different audiences and purposes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Residential trips, visits, clubs, before- and after-school clubs, sports champion roles, charity champion roles, safeguarding champion roles
Darley Dale Primary School is a caring and inclusive school where pupils thrive in a supportive and aspirational environment. The school has maintained its good standards and taken effective action since the previous inspection.
At a Glance
22.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
37 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 73% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 83% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 79% to 73% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.6
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
31.3
KS2
7
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Darley Dale Primary School
Friday Update 02/10/2026
3 Oct 2026
Friday Update 25/09/2026
25 Sep 2026
Friday Update 18/09/2026
18 Sep 2026
First Newsletter of the Year!
11 Sep 2026
Final Newsletter of 2026!
23 Jul 2026
September Reminders
23 Jul 2026
From Darley Dale Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Darley Dale Primary School
Before and after school care
Darley Dale Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Derbyshire
Term dates
Darley Dale Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Derbyshire. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Wednesday 22 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Thursday 6 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February 2028)
- Summer term: Monday 24 April to Monday 24 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Darley Dale Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Darley Dale Primary School is in Derbyshire; for families living there:
- Derbyshire's school travel policy: Home to school transport policy 2026 to 2027 - 465KB
- How to apply: Apply for home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 7 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Derbyshire is 6 (the median across 454 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Darley Dale Primary School
Will you get a place at Darley Dale Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Darley Dale Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Darley Dale Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Darley Dale Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Derbyshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Darley Dale Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Derbyshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
211 pupils
210 places
1 pupil over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Matlock
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Matlock
Across Derbyshire council
Places available
9,875
Applications
7,189
Got 1st preference
94.5%
Got preferred school
99.2%
All primary applications across Derbyshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
23
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
14.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
214
Total Pupils
99
Boys
115
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
23.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,751
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,194
Per pupil
£1190k
Total funding
£64k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.1%
Overall absence
3.8%
Persistent absence
183
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Darley Dale Primary School
What are SATs results like at Darley Dale Primary School?
Of the pupils at Darley Dale Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% did so in maths.
What is Darley Dale Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Darley Dale Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Darley Dale Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Darley Dale Primary School is oversubscribed, Derbyshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Darley Dale Primary School?
Darley Dale Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Darley Dale Primary School?
Classes at Darley Dale Primary School average 30.6 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Darley Dale Primary School?
Darley Dale Primary School has around 214 pupils on roll. 22% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Darley Dale Primary School?
3.1% of sessions were missed at Darley Dale Primary School in 2024/25. 3.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Darley Dale Primary School?
Apply through Derbyshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Darley Dale Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Darley Dale Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Darley Dale Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
What are Darley Dale Primary School's term dates?
Darley Dale Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Derbyshire. In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Wednesday 22 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Thursday 6 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February 2028); Summer term: Monday 24 April to Monday 24 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Darley Dale Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 7 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Derbyshire is 6 (the median across 454 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Darley Dale Primary School?
Darley Dale Primary School is at Greenaway Lane, Hackney, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 2QB.
Sources: Derbyshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)