School Chooser

Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyChurch of England75 pupilsBuxtonDerbyshire
School Chooser Score
43
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 19 to 72, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 64% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, May 2023
Reached the expected level at 1155%England 63%
Attendance96.7%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families25%About the same as most schools in England
Places103 spare75 pupils, 178 places
Pupils per teacher22.7School workforce census

Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School is a converter academy in Buxton for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 75 pupils and room for 178. About 25 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 43 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 64% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Tideswell, St. John's Road, Buxton, SK17 8NE01298 871282bishoppursglove.co.ukMrs Sarah Craig acting head teacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 4 May 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

11 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1155%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level18%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score103.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 65%65%20172018: 78%78%20182019: 77%77%20192023: 32%32%20232024: 42%42%20242025: 55%55%2025
Since 2017: -10%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure2025202420232019†2018†2017†DerbyshireEngland
Pupils tested11192222917
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths55%42%32%77%78%65%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths18%11%18%14%22%0%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0102.0104.0106.0106.0103.0105.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score103.0103.099.0105.0106.0102.0104.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score102.099.0103.0107.0103.0103.0104.6105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard82%58%64%82%89%71%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard64%63%36%77%89%71%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)82%79%64%86%89%71%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.7+0.4+1.4-1.5
Maths progressMaths progress score-5.2-1.2+1.5-4.4
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged78%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2020. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places81 pupils for 178 places, 2024/25
46% full

97 places were empty (55% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 26% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Derbyshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll75Census January 2026
Places17842% full
Pupils from low-income families25%25% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English4%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support11%8 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%1 pupil with a plan
Average class size25.03 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)24%£27,900 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls44 / 31
White British pupils97%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (5), Moderate learning difficulty (2), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll757987109107101
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals25%20%18%20%17%10%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language4%4%5%6%4%5%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support11%16%15%12%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans0%0%0%0%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.7%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school5.6%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.3%5.2%4.8%5.5%1.9%4.3%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.6%4.2%3.9%4.8%1.7%3.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.6%1.0%0.9%0.7%0.2%0.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence5.6%11.0%7.5%10.3%2.1%10.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.02.30.00.90.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

† These attendance figures are for Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2020. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers3.3full-time equivalent, 4 people
Pupils per teacher22.7Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants1.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£50,004
Teachers who left in the year26%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.02024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,380England £7,128. Total £583k
Income per pupil£8,253England £7,587. Total £652k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,291England £3,405
Money in reserve10%A healthy amount put by: £67k, £843 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£69kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,380spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m3612 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate41 per 1,000 people55% lower than the England average
Typical house price£320,000Derbyshire Dales
Nearest bus stop280 mMeverill Road, 4 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Litton CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England0.8 miles42No overall grade 202588Compare
Great Hucklow CE PrimaryChurch of England2.1 miles33Good 202313Compare
Taddington and Priestcliffe SchoolChurch of England3.1 miles64Good 202494Compare
Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolChurch of England3.2 miles42Not inspectedCompare
Bradwell CofE (Controlled) Infant School & NurseryChurch of England3.5 miles20Good 202454Compare
Bradwell Junior SchoolAcademy3.5 miles41Inadequate 20227Compare
Longstone CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England3.9 miles94Good 202356Compare
Peak Dale Primary SchoolCouncil4.1 miles77No overall grade 202418Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School with the 47 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats64%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 43 is 17 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 26 · highest 98100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 43 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 43% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 19 to 72. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.14
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 11 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.09
DfE progress measure; 11 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.11
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.09
2024/25; 71 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 11 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School scores 43 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 64% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 19 to 72, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School good at its last full inspection on 4 May 2023.

How good are Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 55% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 18% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School have?

75 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 178 places, so it is 42% full.

Is Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 97 places were empty in 2024/25 (55% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 6% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School?

The average class had 25.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Tideswell, St. John's Road, Buxton, SK17 8NE
Telephone
01298 871282
Website
www.bishoppursglove.co.uk
Acting Head Teacher
Mrs Sarah Craig
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Derby
Multi-academy trust
Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (33 schools)
Local authority
Derbyshire
Ward
Tideswell
Constituency
Derbyshire Dales
Setting
Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2020 (academy converter)
URN
148108 · LAESTAB 8303338 · UKPRN 10086846
Formerly
Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School

Where these figures come from