Biggin CofE Primary School Review 2026, small Peak District village primary with strong community roots

For a school this small, headline attainment tables often tell you less than you might expect, because results can be suppressed to protect anonymity. The school itself notes that in 2019, only six Year 6 pupils took Key Stage 2 tests and results could not be published for cohorts under ten.

That pushes parents toward the quality of curriculum thinking and day-to-day learning habits rather than single-year percentages. The most recent published inspection emphasises clear sequencing in many subjects, with mathematics described through a progression of calculation methods across year groups, and science taught with a coherent build of knowledge (for example, learning about rivers before water and the water cycle). It also flags that in a small number of subjects, the curriculum plan is not yet as precisely sequenced as the strongest areas.

Read this in context. Micro schools can deliver very strong outcomes because teaching is responsive and gaps are noticed quickly. They can also be vulnerable to staff changes or the simple fact that one mixed-age class has to cover an enormous span of content. The best indicator is usually whether curriculum intent is explicit, resourced, and checked, and the available evidence suggests a school that is actively refining those elements.

Parents comparing local options may find it useful to use FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and Comparison Tool to look at nearby primaries side-by-side, especially where published attainment is suppressed for small cohorts.

The teaching model here is shaped by scale. With a roll of 18 against a capacity of 60, mixed-age grouping is baked in. The inspection report also notes that the headteacher teaches one of the two classes for three days a week, which is typical of very small schools and can be a strength when it keeps decision-making close to classroom reality.

Early reading is a clear focus area. Leaders introduced a new approach to phonics and early reading, supported by staff training and matched reading books, with additional books ordered to support the scheme. In a small school, consistency matters more than branding; the key point is that a single approach is used from the early years onwards, and pupils read books aligned to the sounds they are learning.

At Key Stage 2, the school describes teaching maths using White Rose resources to build fluency, reasoning and problem-solving, and delivering much of the wider curriculum through overarching topics, with some subjects also taught as stand-alone units.

The curriculum is also intentionally local. The school highlights learning about the local environment, community and heritage, and examples on the site include local history work and visits linked to that learning. This approach tends to suit pupils who learn best when knowledge is connected to place and experience, rather than presented as isolated facts.

For primary schools, “where next” is as much about transition confidence as it is about a destination list. The school states that it prioritises ensuring children leave well-equipped for high school, and references planning for secondary transition within its special educational needs information.

Because this is a Derbyshire village setting, secondary allocation typically follows the local authority’s normal area approach, and destinations will depend on your home address rather than the primary alone. Derbyshire provides a normal area school finder for secondaries, and families should use that alongside visits to understand transport time and pastoral fit.

For pupils with additional needs, the practical transition point is often planning rather than place. The school’s published SEND information stresses parent involvement in transition planning and ongoing meetings, which is particularly important where a pupil is moving from a very small primary environment into a much larger secondary cohort.

This is a state primary, there are no tuition fees. Admission is coordinated through Derbyshire County Council for Reception (and other coordinated routes), and the school website directs families to follow the local authority’s published guidance.

For September 2026 Reception entry in Derbyshire, the application window opened on 10 November 2025 and closed at midnight on 15 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026 for online applicants. If you are reading this outside that round, treat those dates as the pattern anchor and confirm the current timetable with the local authority before acting.

Given the small scale of the school, first-hand understanding matters. Visits are encouraged, and for village schools it is sensible to ask directly about mixed-age class structure for the year you are applying, staffing stability, and how the school manages peer groups when cohorts are very small.

If you are relying on distance to secure a place, FindMySchool’s Map Search can help you understand your exact home-to-school distance, but admissions decisions are still made by the local authority under the published criteria.

In small primaries, pastoral systems often look informal from the outside because there are fewer layers of staff. The underlying question is whether safeguarding routines are explicit and consistently applied. The latest Ofsted report (inspection date 11 October 2022, published 25 November 2022) confirms the school remains Good and states that safeguarding arrangements are effective, including staff training, record-keeping, and work with external agencies when needed.

Online safety is treated as a taught component, with the inspection report referencing pupils being taught how to stay safe online and noting a police visit reinforcing risks. That matters in rural areas too; physical geography does not reduce online exposure.

Special educational needs coordination sits with the headteacher, and the school publishes SEND policies and an information report. The same inspection report identifies a practical improvement point: individual education plans should be more precise about who provides support and when, to help ensure pupils with SEND make the strongest possible progress through the curriculum. This is useful for parents to discuss on a visit because it is concrete and specific.

A small roll does not automatically mean a small offer, it just means activities need intentional organisation. The school publishes an extra-curricular overview that includes both staff-led clubs and activities run with external support. Recently listed examples include Craft Club, Music, Maths Challenge, Construction, Photography and Cookery, and the current after-school offer includes sports provision branded through Derby County for Key Stage 2 on Mondays.

Outdoor learning is a defining pillar. Weekly Forest School sessions are described as led by a qualified Forest School practitioner, and positioned as complementary to classroom topics, with hands-on nature learning intended to build curiosity and confidence.

There is also an explicit gardening strand. The school states it has achieved Level 1 of the Royal Horticultural Society School Gardening Awards, with planting projects that include tomatoes, potatoes, wild flowers, radishes, strawberries, sweet peas, beans, cosmos, and an apple tree. The website also notes work towards an Eco Warriors team focused on improving the school’s carbon footprint.

For families, the implication is straightforward: this is a school where enrichment often comes through practical projects and the natural environment, rather than large-scale competitive teams or a long menu of specialist facilities.

The school’s published club timetable provides a useful frame for after-school cover. Current listings show after-school clubs running 3.30pm to 4.30pm on multiple days, including Gardening Club (Tuesday) and Wrap Around Care on Wednesday and Thursday, plus a Friday sports club. If you need care beyond that window, ask what is available across the full week, as the published list reflects current offerings rather than a guaranteed year-round programme.

Lunch arrangements are clearly explained. Meals are cooked at a nearby kitchen and transported to school; meals are priced at £2.20 per day (or £11.00 per week), with Key Stage 1 pupils receiving universal free school meals. This is helpful for budgeting in a small school where other costs can include trips and clubs.

Uniform expectations are simple and practical, including PE kit guidance and a reminder that children play outdoors twice daily, so sensible footwear is expected.

Transport is the rural reality check. Biggin sits off the A515 Buxton to Ashbourne road, and travel time will vary sharply depending on which direction you approach from and whether winter weather affects routes.

• Micro school dynamics. With 18 pupils on roll, peer groups are small, and one friendship issue can feel bigger than it would in a larger school. For many children this is a positive, but it can be challenging for pupils who need a wider social pool.

• Published results are limited. Small cohorts can lead to suppression of Key Stage 2 outcomes, as the school itself explains. You may need to rely more on curriculum quality, books, and work scrutiny during a visit than on performance tables.

• SEND planning detail. The most recent inspection highlights that individual education plans need greater precision about who delivers support and when. Parents of children with SEND should ask how this has been strengthened since 2022.

• Wraparound coverage. After-school options are published, but the timetable shown is limited to certain days and a 3.30pm to 4.30pm window. Families needing later cover should clarify availability and demand.

Biggin CofE Primary School is defined by two things: scale and place. The very small roll creates a close-knit experience where staff know pupils exceptionally well, and the Peak District setting is used to add depth through outdoor learning and hands-on projects. Admission is the usual Derbyshire coordinated process, and published attainment data may be limited because cohorts are tiny.

Who it suits: families who want a small village primary with a clear Church of England character, regular outdoor learning, and a school community where every child is known. Who may look elsewhere: families who want large peer groups, a broad menu of on-site facilities, or wraparound care that reliably runs later into the evening.