Donisthorpe Primary School, Swadlincote
Donisthorpe Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Swadlincote, part of Symphony Learning Trust. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 7th-highest of the 24 schools in Swadlincote with published results, and 7,353rd of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Leicestershire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Donisthorpe Primary School in detail
Donisthorpe Primary School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include art and forest school.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care, from £1 per session.
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils at Donisthorpe Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 77% in Leicestershire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 60% in reading and 63% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Donisthorpe Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 30 families put Donisthorpe Primary School as their first choice and 61 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Donisthorpe Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Donisthorpe Primary School are Oakthorpe Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 75% reading, 88% maths); Measham Church of England Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 64% reading, 64% maths); St Charles Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy (1.6 miles, Good, 95% reading, 90% maths); and Moira Primary School (1.7 miles, Requires improvement, 81% reading, 77% maths).
Donisthorpe Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Oakthorpe Primary SchoolMeasham Church of England Primary SchoolSt Charles Catholic Primary Voluntary AcademyMoira Primary School
The trust
Donisthorpe Primary School is one of 20 schools run by Symphony Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
39 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Donisthorpe Primary School (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Who goes there
14% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 27 pupils (13%) received SEN support and 4 (1.9%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Donisthorpe Primary School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Masons Arms PH (opposite), 290 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 18 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Leicestershire (58).
Suspensions and exclusions
Donisthorpe Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Donisthorpe Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2022. Before that, as Donisthorpe Primary School (URN 119944), it was rated Good in February 2013.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Donisthorpe Primary School creates a calm, orderly learning environment where children thrive academically and socially. Teachers are experts in their subjects and use precise assessment to identify gaps and provide high-quality support. The school offers a wealth of enrichment activities and has successfully improved attendance by working closely with families.
Key Strengths
- Broad, ambitious curriculum with clear progression that helps pupils build on prior knowledge
- Highly effective support for pupils with SEND, with staff adapting teaching to help them access the full curriculum
- Expert teaching of reading through phonics, daily reading, and targeted support for those needing extra help
- Exceptional behaviour from early years to Year 6, with strong attendance improvements
- Excellent personal development opportunities including clubs, sports, and community involvement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Competitive sports, clubs at break and after school, community improvement projects
Donisthorpe Primary School is an inclusive and welcoming school where pupils are happy, feel safe, and are highly engaged in learning. Evidence suggests the school's work has improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection.
At a Glance
14.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
39 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 60% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 63% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 57% to 81% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.6
Avg class size
29.3
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
7
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Donisthorpe Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Donisthorpe Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Donisthorpe Primary School is in Leicestershire; for families living there:
- Leicestershire's school travel policy: Mainstream School Transport for 5 to 16 year olds
- How to apply: Request for school transport on medical grounds form PDF, 359.48 KB Opens new window
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.
1 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 Leicestershire is 3 (the median across 329 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 Donisthorpe Primary School
Will you get a place at Donisthorpe Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Donisthorpe Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Donisthorpe Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Donisthorpe Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Leicestershire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Donisthorpe Primary School for 2023 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Leicestershire 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
97%
Near capacity
203 pupils
210 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Swadlincote
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Swadlincote
Across Leicestershire council
Places available
8,574
Applications
6,827
Got 1st preference
94.0%
Got preferred school
99.3%
All primary applications across Leicestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History
Ungraded inspection: The school has improved significantly.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
27
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
15.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
207
Total Pupils
110
Boys
97
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
17.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,731
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,191
Per pupil
£1169k
Total funding
£53k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
11.7%
Persistent absence
179
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Donisthorpe Primary School
What are SATs results like at Donisthorpe Primary School?
Of the pupils at Donisthorpe Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is Donisthorpe Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Donisthorpe Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2022. Before that, as Donisthorpe Primary School (URN 119944), it was rated Good in February 2013.
What is the catchment area for Donisthorpe Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Donisthorpe Primary School is oversubscribed, Leicestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Donisthorpe Primary School?
Donisthorpe Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Donisthorpe Primary School?
Classes at Donisthorpe Primary School average 29.6 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Donisthorpe Primary School?
Donisthorpe Primary School has around 207 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Donisthorpe Primary School?
5% of sessions were missed at Donisthorpe Primary School in 2024/25. 11.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Donisthorpe Primary School?
Apply through Leicestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Donisthorpe 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 Donisthorpe 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. 1 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 Leicestershire is 3 (the median across 329 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Donisthorpe Primary School?
Donisthorpe Primary School is at Ashby Road, Donisthorpe, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 7QF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)