Dovedale Community Primary School, Liverpool
Dovedale Community Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Liverpool. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2018. That was 8 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 82nd-highest of the 177 schools in Liverpool with published results, and 7,614th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Liverpool (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Dovedale Community Primary School in detail
Dovedale Community Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "No need to book a time slot; please come when it suits your family."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at Dovedale Community Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 76% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 70% in Liverpool and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 88% in reading and 76% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Dovedale Community Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 117 families put Dovedale Community Primary School as their first choice and 267 named it as one of their preferences, for 120 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 14 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Dovedale Community Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Dovedale Community Primary School are St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 94% reading, 97% maths); Greenbank Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 72% reading, 67% maths); Mosspits Lane Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 82% reading, 78% maths); and Our Lady's Bishop Eton Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 90% reading, 78% maths).
Dovedale Community Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary SchoolGreenbank Primary SchoolMosspits Lane Primary SchoolOur Lady's Bishop Eton Catholic Primary School
What parents say
158 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Dovedale Community Primary School (as of April 2026): 98% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Who goes there
8.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 12.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (70%) and Mixed (11%).
In 2026, 159 pupils (19%) received SEN support and 19 (2.3%) 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 railway station is Mossley Hill Rail Station, about 690 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Meredale Road (adjacent), 200 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Dovedale Community Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Dovedale Community Primary School are Liverpool College (0.4 miles), The Blue Coat School (0.5 miles), Calderstones School (0.7 miles) and St Hilda's Church of England High School (0.9 miles).
Liverpool CollegeThe Blue Coat SchoolCalderstones SchoolSt Hilda's Church of England High School
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); 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 · 11 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2025 inspection report.
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
What Parents Think
158 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 88% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 76% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 82% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.0
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
23
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Dovedale Community Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Dovedale Community Primary School.
- Dovedale Out of Hours Kids' ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
- Raring Stars - St Anthony of Padua Primary370m away · Not yet graded
- art-K Smithdown570m away · Not yet graded
- Greenbank Breakfast and Afterschool Club710m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Dovedale Community Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Liverpool. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Friday 26 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Dovedale Community Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Dovedale Community Primary School is in Liverpool; for families living there:
- Liverpool's school travel policy: this document : Home to School Transport Policy 2026-27
- How to apply: Apply for a travel pass
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 39
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 39 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 9 serious and 29 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 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 Liverpool is 32 (the median across 193 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 Dovedale Community Primary School
Will you get a place at Dovedale Community Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Dovedale Community Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Dovedale Community Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Dovedale Community Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Liverpool, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Dovedale Community Primary School for 2016 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Liverpool 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
839 pupils
840 places
1 spare place in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Liverpool
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Liverpool
Across Liverpool council
Places available
5,870
Applications
4,736
Got 1st preference
88.6%
Got preferred school
97.3%
All primary applications across Liverpool council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(3)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
159
SEN Support
19
EHC Plans
21.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
839
Total Pupils
404
Boys
435
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
37
Teachers
22.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,605
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,028
Per pupil
£4535k
Total funding
£112k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.3%
Overall absence
4.9%
Persistent absence
730
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Dovedale Community Primary School
What are SATs results like at Dovedale Community Primary School?
Of the pupils at Dovedale Community Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 76% did so in maths.
What is Dovedale Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Dovedale Community Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2025, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Dovedale Community Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Dovedale Community Primary School is oversubscribed, Liverpool allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Dovedale Community Primary School?
Dovedale Community 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 Dovedale Community Primary School?
Classes at Dovedale Community Primary School average 30 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Dovedale Community Primary School?
Dovedale Community Primary School has around 839 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Dovedale Community Primary School?
3.3% of sessions were missed at Dovedale Community Primary School in 2024/25. 4.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Dovedale Community Primary School?
Apply through Liverpool's coordinated admissions process, naming Dovedale Community 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 Dovedale Community Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Dovedale Out of Hours Kids' Club (registered, not yet graded). There are 3 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Dovedale Community Primary School's term dates?
Dovedale Community Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Liverpool. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Friday 26 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027).
How many road collisions happen near Dovedale Community Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 39 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 9 serious and 29 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 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 Liverpool is 32 (the median across 193 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Dovedale Community Primary School?
Dovedale Community Primary School is at Herondale Road, Liverpool, L18 1JX.
Sources: Liverpool term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)