Fairfield Infant and Nursery School has closed (Sunday 31 May 2026).
It became an academy, which has a new school record. The school at this address is now Fairfield Infant and Nursery School.
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School, Buxton
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 7 in Buxton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. It was 62% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- 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 8 Oct 2026
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School in detail
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School in its own words
The school runs after-school care until 4:10pm.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Fairfield Infant and Nursery School
For September 2026 entry, 34 families put Fairfield Infant and Nursery School as their first choice and 46 named it as one of their preferences, for 34 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 Fairfield Infant and Nursery School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Fairfield Infant and Nursery School are Fairfield Infant and Nursery School (under 0.1 miles); St Peter's Church of England (VC) Junior School (0.2 miles, Good, 72% reading, 64% maths); Buxton Infant School (0.5 miles, Good); and Buxton Infant School (0.5 miles).
Fairfield Infant and Nursery SchoolSt Peter's Church of England (VC) Junior SchoolBuxton Infant SchoolBuxton Infant School
What parents say
27 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Fairfield Infant and Nursery School (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 62% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (62%).
Who goes there
58% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (88%) and Mixed (5%).
Staffing
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School had 10 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 Buxton Rail Station, about 910 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Infant School (adjacent), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 164 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Fairfield Infant and Nursery School issued 13 suspensions, 8.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Your child will attend a happy, welcoming school where they feel safe and well cared for. The school has strong relationships between staff and families, and provides excellent support for pupils who need extra help, including those with special needs. Outdoor learning and enrichment activities help develop children's resilience and confidence.
Key Strengths
- Strong pastoral support and well-considered help for pupils with special educational needs -
- Effective early years provision with focus on developing children's language and communication skills -
- Calm, orderly environment with skilful behaviour management -
- Good curriculum planning in some subjects where key knowledge is explicit and pupils remember their learning -
- High expectations of pupil behaviour with effective support for those struggling
Areas for Improvement
- Not all staff have sufficient phonics expertise, leading to some inconsistency in teaching reading -
- Some foundation subjects lack clear identification of key knowledge pupils need to learn and remember -
- Assessment of pupil learning is not consistent across all subjects, leaving some gaps in knowledge unidentified
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Playground leader roles, VIP leader roles, outdoor learning experiences
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School is a welcoming school where pupils are happy and feel safe, with strong relationships between staff, pupils, and families. The school provides a calm environment with effective pastoral support and high expectations for pupil achievement.
At a Glance
58.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
27 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
17.3
Avg class size
22.0
Infant (KS1)
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Fairfield Infant and Nursery School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Fairfield Infant and Nursery School.
- Kip McGrath Buxton930m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School is a community 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 Fairfield Infant and Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Fairfield Infant and Nursery 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
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Fairfield Infant and Nursery School
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
62%
Available places
112 pupils
180 places
68 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(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
19
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
18.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
131
Total Pupils
69
Boys
62
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
14.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,464
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,956
Per pupil
£959k
Total funding
£106k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.9%
Overall absence
14.1%
Persistent absence
85
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Fairfield Infant and Nursery School
What is Fairfield Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Fairfield Infant and Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Fairfield Infant and Nursery 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 Fairfield Infant and Nursery School?
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School was not full in 2025: it ran at 62% of its 180 places.
How big are the classes at Fairfield Infant and Nursery School?
Classes at Fairfield Infant and Nursery School average 17.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Fairfield Infant and Nursery School?
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School has around 131 pupils on roll. 58% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Fairfield Infant and Nursery School?
5.9% of sessions were missed at Fairfield Infant and Nursery School in 2024/25. 14.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Fairfield Infant and Nursery School?
Apply through Derbyshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Fairfield Infant and Nursery 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 Fairfield Infant and Nursery School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Fairfield Infant and Nursery School: Kip McGrath Buxton (930m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Fairfield Infant and Nursery School's term dates?
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School is a community 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).
Where is Fairfield Infant and Nursery School?
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School is at Fairfield Infant & Nursery School, Bench Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 7PQ.
Source: Derbyshire term dates