Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Hernstone Lane, Peak Forest, Buxton, SK17 8EJ
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Voluntary controlled school
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Headteacher
- Mrs Andrea Tomlinson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Derby
- Federation
- The Woodland Federation of Peak District Schools
- Constituency
- High Peak
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Capacity
- 49
- Pupils on roll
- 42
- URN
- 112848
- Local authority
- Derbyshire
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 0129822074
About this school
Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a Church of England voluntary controlled primary school in Buxton. It teaches children aged 4 to 11 and has 42 pupils on roll.
You can read Ofsted's latest judgement for the school below. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Numbers and a report only go so far, so visit in person before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Ofsted's most recent visit was a short inspection on 21 January 2025, where inspectors found that standards have been maintained. The school's last full inspection took place before September 2019, so its area grades are not part of Ofsted's current published data. Older reports are on the school's Ofsted page.
Exam results
Key stage 2 (end of primary school)
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of key stage 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | - | - | - |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | - | - | - |
| Expected standard in reading | - | - | - |
| Expected standard in maths | - | - | - |
| Expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling | - | - | - |
| Average scaled score in reading | - | - | - |
| Average scaled score in maths | - | - | - |
Trends over time
How Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 4.4% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 4.1% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 3.3% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 29 |
| 2023/24 | 31 |
| 2024/25 | 32 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
How Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School compares
Its absence rate was lower than 97% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | — | 3.3% | 15.6% | 42 | — |
| Peak Dale Primary School | 21% | 4.8% | 18.7% | 77 | 2.4 miles |
| Dove Holes CofE Primary School | — | 6% | 36.7% | 41 | 2.4 miles |
| Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School | 55% | 3.3% | 22.8% | 75 | 3.2 miles |
| Castleton CofE Primary School | — | 28.2% | 25% | 21 | 3.2 miles |
| Chapel-en-le-Frith CofE VC Primary School | 34% | 4.2% | 25.2% | 495 | 3.4 miles |
Results reflect each school's cohort as much as its teaching, and free school meals share is context, not a judgement. Small gaps between neighbouring schools are rarely meaningful on their own.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 15.63%
- English as an additional language
- 0%
- Overall absence
- 3.26%
- Persistent absence
- 7.69%
Location
Nearby schools
-
Peak Dale Primary School2.4 miles
Primary · Buxton
-
Dove Holes CofE Primary School2.4 miles
Primary · Buxton
-
Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School3.2 miles
Primary · Buxton
-
Castleton CofE Primary School3.2 miles
Primary · Hope Valley
-
Chapel-en-le-Frith CofE VC Primary School3.4 miles
Primary · High Peak
Other schools in Buxton
- Biggin CofE Primary School Primary
- Bishop Pursglove CofE (A) Primary School Primary
- Burbage Primary School Primary
- Buxton Infant School Primary
- Buxton Junior School Primary
- Dove Holes CofE Primary School Primary
- Earl Sterndale CofE Primary School Primary
- Fairfield Infant and Nursery School Primary
- Great Hucklow CE Primary Primary
- Harpur Hill Primary School Primary
- Hartington CofE Primary School Primary
- Hollinsclough Church of England Academy Primary
Common questions
- What year groups does Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School teach?
- Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School teaches children aged 4 to 11. It is a primary school in Buxton.
- Who is the headteacher of Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?
- The headteacher of Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is Mrs Andrea Tomlinson, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- When was Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School last inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How big is Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?
- Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has 42 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 4 to 11.
- Is Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School full?
- Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has capacity for 49 pupils and 42 on roll (86%), so it has space against its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School a faith school?
- Yes. Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of Derby.
- Does Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School have a nursery?
- No. The schools register records Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School as having no nursery classes.
- Who runs Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?
- Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is part of the The Woodland Federation of Peak District Schools federation. Schools in a trust or federation share leadership and governance, but each keeps its own inspection record and results.
- What is Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's absence rate?
- Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's overall absence rate is 3.3% in the latest published census, at or below the England average of 6.2%.
- What are Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's exam results?
- Where the Department for Education has published them, Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's key stage results are shown in the results section on this page, with the last three years so you can see the trend rather than a single year.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 29 June 2026.