St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy, Buxton
St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Buxton, part of St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 34th-highest of the 45 schools in Derbyshire with published results, and 2,311th of 3,298 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Well below average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Derbyshire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.2 in Derbyshire and 47 across England.
39% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Derbyshire and 47% in England.
That is down from 49.5 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.51: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 28.8, against 48.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 20.1 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.
Getting a place at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 86 families put St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 176 named it as one of their preferences, for 87 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy are Buxton Community School (0.9 miles, Attainment 8 42.1); and Chapel-en-le-Frith High School (3.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.9).
Each of them had higher 2026 results than St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy.
The trust
St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy is one of 25 schools run by St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.8 in 2024/25.
All 25 schools in St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust
What parents say
113 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy (as of September 2025): 81% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 66% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (66%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 90 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 32% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 7% into work.
Who goes there
33.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 6.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Buxton Rail Station, about 210 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lascelles Road (se-bound), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 165 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, St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy issued 37 suspensions, 8.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy are St Anne's Catholic Voluntary Academy (under 0.1 miles), Buxton Infant School (0.4 miles), Fairfield Infant and Nursery School (0.6 miles) and St Peter's Church of England (VC) Junior School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
St Anne's Catholic Voluntary AcademyBuxton Infant SchoolFairfield Infant and Nursery SchoolSt Peter's Church of England (VC) Junior School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; 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 · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a warm, caring environment where every pupil matters and feels valued. Teachers know their students exceptionally well and deliver an ambitious curriculum, particularly in English where pupils develop genuine enthusiasm for learning. The school has bounced back from difficult times and staff are committed to helping all pupils, including those with additional needs, succeed.
Key Strengths
- Staff create a calm, positive environment where pupils feel safe and ready to learn
- Excellent behaviour and discipline - learning disruptions are rare and routines are well-established
- Strong focus on reading with expert support for struggling readers and an excellent library
- Significantly improved provision for pupils with special educational needs - staff quickly identify needs and provide effective support
- Well-structured curriculum that reflects national requirements and Catholic social teachings
Areas for Improvement
- Some subject leaders are new and lack training and development, leading to inconsistent curriculum design across certain subjects
- Inconsistent implementation of the school's 'teaching and learning seven' strategy means some pupils' learning gaps are not being addressed
- Need to ensure quality teaching is consistently strong across all subjects to improve pupil outcomes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, clubs, trips, community activities
St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy has made significant improvements since its last inspection and now provides a good quality of education in a positive, caring environment. The school has addressed previous staffing issues and pupils are now learning more effectively with improved progress through the curriculum.
At a Glance
33.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
113 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from -0.10 to -0.51 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 42.8 to 42.1 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 33% to 39% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 42.1 | 38.6% |
| Disadvantaged(30) | - | 28.8 | 16.7% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(58) | - | 48.9 | 50% |
| Boys(39) | - | 40.0 | 30.8% |
| Girls(49) | - | 43.7 | 44.9% |
Show more breakdowns (1)
| Non mobile(82) | - | 44.0 | 41.5% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 90 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
37
Suspensions
8.83%
Suspension rate
19 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 419 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy
Term dates
St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Derbyshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy 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
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 9 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 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 St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy
Will you get a place at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Derbyshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy for 2019 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.
£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
95%
Near capacity
427 pupils
450 places
23 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
8,818
Applications
7,971
Got 1st preference
94.5%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Derbyshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
85
SEN Support
19
EHC Plans
25.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
407
Total Pupils
202
Boys
205
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
18.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£58,888
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,181
Per pupil
£3203k
Total funding
£130k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.3%
Overall absence
23.2%
Persistent absence
444
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy
What are GCSE results like at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 42.1. 39% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy is oversubscribed, Derbyshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Classes at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy average 25.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy has around 407 pupils on roll. 33% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy?
8.3% of sessions were missed at St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 23.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Apply through Derbyshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 9 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 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 St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy is at Palace Fields, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6AF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)