Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School, Lancaster
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Lancaster. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 24 schools in Lancaster with published results, and 1,036th of 14,452 across England. It was 82% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 92% of Year 6 pupils at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 92% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 100% in reading and 93% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 14 families put Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 39 named it as one of their preferences, for 14 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 Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School are Forton Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 75% reading, 88% maths); Ellel St John the Evangelist Church of England Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 89% reading, 75% maths); Cawthorne's Endowed School (2.8 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths); and Scorton Church of England Primary School (3.1 miles, Good, 83% reading, 75% maths).
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Forton Primary SchoolEllel St John the Evangelist Church of England Primary SchoolCawthorne's Endowed SchoolScorton Church of England Primary School
Who goes there
4.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 8.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%) and Mixed (10%).
In 2026, 4 pupils (4.9%) received SEN support and 4 (4.9%) 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.
Staffing
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is CE Primary School (outside), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School issued 1 suspension, 1.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
4.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 100% to 92% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 92% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 100% to 85% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
18.3
Avg class size
13.0
Infant (KS1)
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School
Term dates
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Lancashire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 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 Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Lancashire 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
82%
Available places
80 pupils
98 places
18 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Lancaster
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Lancaster
Across Lancashire council
Places available
15,442
Applications
12,122
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
9.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
82
Total Pupils
47
Boys
35
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
16.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,659
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,850
Per pupil
£595k
Total funding
£8k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.1%
Overall absence
9.9%
Persistent absence
71
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 92% reached the expected standard in reading and 92% did so in maths.
What is Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2013 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School?
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 82% of its 98 places.
How big are the classes at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School average 18.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School?
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School has around 82 pupils on roll. 5% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School?
5.1% of sessions were missed at Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 9.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Dolphinholme Church of England 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.
How many road collisions happen near Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School?
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School is at Dolphinholme, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA2 9AN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)