Dovedale Community Primary School, Liverpool

Good
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~424m)Possible (~606m)Unlikely (~788m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Nik Smith
Pupils:839 / 840 capacity
LA:Liverpool
Phone:01517334232
Address:Herondale Road, Liverpool, L18 1JX
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2015

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 10 months ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Requires Improvement

Early Years

Inspected 18 November 2025View full report
URN:141960
UKPRN:10077546
Constituency:Liverpool Garston
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Dovedale is a welcoming, inclusive school where pupils are proud to learn. The school combines excellent teaching with a rich curriculum that connects subjects in meaningful ways, alongside an impressive range of clubs and activities that develop the whole child. Leaders prioritize wellbeing, inclusion, and personal development, ensuring all pupils - including those with additional needs - thrive and are well prepared for the future.

Key Strengths

  • Ambitious, well-designed curriculum that builds pupils' knowledge over time with meaningful connections between subjects
  • Exceptional behavior and attendance with a calm, orderly school environment
  • Highly effective inclusion and support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
  • Impressive range of extra-curricular activities and enrichment opportunities
  • Strong pastoral support and focus on pupils' wellbeing and broader personal development

Areas for Improvement

  • Mathematics attainment has not been as high as other subjects, though leaders are working to improve this
  • Early years staff occasionally miss opportunities to draw children into purposeful conversation or play quickly enough

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Philosophy club, choir, cheerleading, forest area activities, outdoor learning, museum visits, places of worship visits

Dovedale Community Primary School is a highly effective school with strong leadership that creates a positive, inclusive environment where pupils thrive academically and personally. The school excels in curriculum design, pupil behavior, and personal development, with particular strengths in reading and inclusion support.

At a Glance

8.7%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-11ppMathsWriting-1pp

Reading has declined from 88% to 77%. Maths has remained stable at around 76%. Writing has remained stable at around 82%.

Class Sizes

29.9

Avg class size

30.0

Infant (KS1)

29.9

KS2

25

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Latest from Dovedale Community Primary School

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Getting There

Train Stations

Mossley Hill Rail Station (Entrance)
694m · 11 min walk

Bus Stops

Meredale Road (adj)
201m · 3 min walk
Gorsedale Road (adj)
229m · 4 min walk
Elm Hall Drive (adj)
242m · 4 min walk
Calton Avenue (adj)
418m · 7 min walk
Devondale Road (adj)
450m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

100%

Over capacity

839 pupils

840 capacity

1 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Liverpool

High pressure
New homes approved:8,038
Projected new pupils:2,010

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Liverpool

Admissions Demand - Liverpool

Low demand0.80x oversubscription

Places available

6,140

Applications

4,934

Got 1st preference

89.7%

Got preferred school

97.4%

Primary admissions across Liverpool (2025/26)

Inspection History(3)

18 November 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsRequires Improvement
19 March 2024
6 March 2018
Leadership & ManagementGood

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

3.25655%

Overall absence

4.93151%

Persistent absence

730

Enrolments

Authorised2.29489%
Unauthorised0.96166%
Persistent (10%+)4.93151%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.13926%
18/19
2.21044%
20/21
3.78646%
21/22
4.1678%
22/23
3.66454%
23/24
3.25655%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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