Dove Holes CofE Primary School, Buxton
Dove Holes CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Buxton. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2024. Its 2024 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 9 schools in Buxton with published results, and 9,899th of 13,912 across England. It was 50% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Derbyshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Dove Holes CofE Primary School in detail
Results
In 2024, 63% of Year 6 pupils at Dove Holes CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 73% in Derbyshire and 76% and 74% across England.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Dove Holes CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 4 families put Dove Holes CofE Primary School as their first choice and 11 named it as one of their preferences, for 4 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 Dove Holes CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Dove Holes CofE Primary School are Peak Dale Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 50% reading, 36% maths); Chapel-en-le-Frith CofE VC Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 59% reading, 39% maths); Combs Infant School (2.2 miles, Requires improvement); and Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (2.4 miles, Good).
Peak Dale Primary SchoolChapel-en-le-Frith CofE VC Primary SchoolCombs Infant SchoolPeak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Who goes there
0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 6 pupils (14.6%) received SEN support and 1 (2.4%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Staffing
Dove Holes CofE Primary School had 4 teachers in 2026, one for every 11 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Dove Holes Rail Station, about 200 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bus Depot (adjacent), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 19 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Dove Holes CofE Primary School issued 9 suspensions, 18.4 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 January 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
31.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2023/24 academic year
Class Sizes
13.3
Avg class size
13.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Dove Holes CofE Primary School
Term dates
Dove Holes CofE Primary School is a voluntary controlled 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
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Dove Holes CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Dove Holes CofE 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
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 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 Dove Holes CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at Dove Holes CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Dove Holes CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Dove Holes CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Dove Holes CofE 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 Dove Holes CofE 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
50%
Available places
42 pupils
84 places
42 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Buxton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Buxton
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
6
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
17.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
41
Total Pupils
21
Boys
20
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
10.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£40,167
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,535
Per pupil
£497k
Total funding
£30k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.0%
Overall absence
20.0%
Persistent absence
45
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Dove Holes CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at Dove Holes CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at Dove Holes CofE Primary School who took the 2024 Key Stage 2 assessments, 63% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is Dove Holes CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Dove Holes CofE Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2024.
What is the catchment area for Dove Holes CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Dove Holes CofE 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 Dove Holes CofE Primary School?
Dove Holes CofE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 50% of its 84 places.
How big are the classes at Dove Holes CofE Primary School?
Classes at Dove Holes CofE Primary School average 13.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Dove Holes CofE Primary School?
Dove Holes CofE Primary School has around 41 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Dove Holes CofE Primary School?
6% of sessions were missed at Dove Holes CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 20% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Dove Holes CofE Primary School?
Apply through Derbyshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Dove Holes CofE 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.
What are Dove Holes CofE Primary School's term dates?
Dove Holes CofE Primary School is a voluntary controlled 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 Dove Holes CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Derbyshire is 6 (the median across 454 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Dove Holes CofE Primary School?
Dove Holes CofE Primary School is at Hallsteads, Dove Holes, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8BJ.
Sources: Derbyshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)