Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School, Ashbourne
Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Ashbourne. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. It was 70% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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
Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School in detail
Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Opening our eyes to find meaningful happiness - learning, achieving and growing together as a family Our small, happy school is a caring and nurturing family at the heart of its village community, nestled in the hills of the beautiful Derbyshire Dales."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 4 families put Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School as their first choice and 7 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 Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School are Carsington and Hopton Primary School (2.1 miles, Good, 78% reading, 33% maths); Hulland CofE Primary & Nursery School (2.3 miles); Wirksworth Junior School (2.8 miles, Good, 72% reading, 52% maths); and Wirksworth CofE Infant School (2.8 miles, Good).
Carsington and Hopton Primary SchoolHulland CofE Primary & Nursery SchoolWirksworth Junior SchoolWirksworth CofE Infant School
What parents say
24 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School (as of September 2025): 75% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 33% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (33%).
Who goes there
0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (90%) and Mixed (8%).
In 2026, 7 pupils (17.5%) received SEN support and 1 (2.5%) 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
Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 7 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Idridgehay (Ecclesbourne Valley Railway), about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is School (adjacent), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50).
Suspensions and exclusions
Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from September 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Kirk Ireton provides a nurturing, inclusive environment where children thrive both academically and personally. The school excels at developing pupils' love of reading and ensuring every child, including those with additional needs, receives excellent support. Pupils develop into thoughtful young people with strong moral values who understand how to make a positive difference in society.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and attitudes - pupils show care, empathy and respect for one another
- Strong reading programme with excellent support for pupils falling behind
- Impressive personal development including music lessons, sporting competitions and aspirational trips like Oxford University visits
- Well-structured curriculum adapted for mixed-age classes with high support for pupils with SEND
- High pupil attendance supported by strong family engagement
Areas for Improvement
- In a few subjects, pupils struggle to recall key knowledge as well as intended, limiting depth of understanding
- Need to ensure pupils can remember and articulate subject knowledge across all curriculum areas
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong safeguarding culture prioritising pupils' interests.
Extracurricular Activities
Music lessons for all pupils, sporting competitions, trips to Oxford University, residential trips organised by oldest pupils, community tea parties, outdoor learning activities
Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School is a small primary school where pupils are proud, well-cared for, and demonstrate exemplary behaviour and attitudes. The school offers a broad, rich curriculum with high expectations, though pupils' recall of key knowledge in a few subjects needs strengthening.
At a Glance
17.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
24 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
20.0
Avg class size
25.0
KS2
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School
Term dates
Kirk Ireton C of E 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
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Kirk Ireton C of E 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School
Will you get a place at Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Kirk Ireton C of E 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 Kirk Ireton C of E 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
70%
Available places
39 pupils
56 places
17 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Ashbourne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ashbourne
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)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
7
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
20.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
40
Total Pupils
22
Boys
18
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
6.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,035
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£9,408
Per pupil
£411k
Total funding
£6k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
2.9%
Overall absence
2.7%
Persistent absence
37
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School
What is Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Kirk Ireton C of E 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 Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School?
Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 70% of its 56 places.
How big are the classes at Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School?
Classes at Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School average 20 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School?
Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School has around 40 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School?
2.9% of sessions were missed at Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School in 2024/25. 2.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School?
Apply through Derbyshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Kirk Ireton C of E 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 Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School's term dates?
Kirk Ireton C of E 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 Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Derbyshire is 6 (the median across 454 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School?
Kirk Ireton C of E Primary School is at Main Street, Kirk Ireton, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 3LD.
Sources: Derbyshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)