Pilsley Primary School Review 2026: Elite KS2 outcomes with a strong SEND offer

High expectations sit at the centre of Pilsley Primary School, and the outcomes data suggests those expectations translate into results. In 2024, 85.7% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. The school’s FindMySchool ranking places it among the highest-performing primaries in England, ranked 218th nationally and 1st locally across Chesterfield. (Rankings are FindMySchool’s proprietary calculations using official results data.)

This is a state school with no tuition fees. It serves pupils from age 3 to 11 and includes nursery provision alongside a designated unit for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The current head teacher is Mrs Lynn Brook, who has been in post since January 2023.

The tone, both in how pupils talk about school and in how the day is organised, is purposeful and calm. Pupils are described as happy, polite and respectful, with behaviour that is consistently strong. Bullying is treated seriously and is described as rare, with staff quick to step in and resolve issues.

Leadership has had a recent refresh. Mrs Lynn Brook took up headship in January 2023, and the public-facing pages on the school website emphasise a close partnership with families and clear shared expectations. The school’s motto, “INSPIRE - RESPECT - ACHIEVE”, is positioned as a practical guide for how pupils and staff communicate and what the school wants children to aim for over time.

Nursery and early years matter here, not as an add-on but as the starting point for the school’s wider approach. External review notes a strong focus on communication and language in the early years, alongside the development of social skills through structured play and routines.

The headline measure for families at primary phase is the combined reading, writing and mathematics expected standard at the end of Year 6. In 2024, Pilsley Primary recorded 85.7% at expected standard, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 35.7% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, notably above the England average of 8%.

The underlying attainment picture is strong across subjects. Average scaled scores were 112 in reading and 109 in mathematics, with 112 in grammar, punctuation and spelling. These are all comfortably above the national scaled-score baseline of 100. High score rates were also substantial, including 50% in reading and 38% in mathematics. (All figures reflect the most recent published results available.)

On the FindMySchool results rankings, Pilsley Primary is ranked 218th in England for primary outcomes and 1st in Chesterfield, placing it among the highest-performing schools in England (top 2%). These rankings are FindMySchool’s proprietary calculations based on official attainment measures.

What this tends to mean in practice is that the average pupil cohort is leaving Year 6 with strong foundations for secondary school, including pupils who are aiming for academic routes that require secure literacy and numeracy. The main implication for families is not just attainment, but the likely pace of learning and the consistency of expectation across year groups.

Families comparing multiple local schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view these results side-by-side across Chesterfield.

Curriculum thinking is a visible strength in external review. Leaders have developed an ambitious, well-planned curriculum and invested in staff training to deepen subject knowledge. Subject sequencing is explicitly thought through so that pupils build knowledge in a sensible order, with later content relying on secure earlier understanding.

Reading is treated as a priority from the start. Phonics teaching is structured daily, staff are trained in the chosen programme, and books are matched closely to the sounds pupils are learning. The routine is designed to help pupils gain fluency quickly, then widen into broader reading through daily reading aloud and regular practice.

The school also describes a curriculum model that revisits prior learning deliberately, with the intent of moving knowledge into long-term memory rather than relying on short bursts of test preparation. Practical detail matters here: pupils return to prior content at greater depth and breadth across their time in school, rather than treating each unit as a one-off.

A balanced view is useful: external review indicates that in a small number of subjects, classroom activities do not always match the ambition of the intended curriculum, which can slow progress when tasks are not pitched well enough.

As a primary school, the key “destination” question is transition to secondary. Admissions to secondary schools are coordinated separately through Derbyshire, and the most appropriate options depend on the family’s address and the secondary school’s published admissions criteria.

For families planning ahead, there are two practical steps that tend to reduce uncertainty. First, check the relevant Derbyshire coordinated admissions information early in Year 5 or at the start of Year 6, especially if you are considering a move. Second, use a distance-checking tool such as FindMySchool Map Search to understand how your home sits against common distance-based criteria used by many schools, noting that each secondary sets its own oversubscription rules.

The school itself focuses on ensuring pupils leave with secure literacy, numeracy and learning habits. Given the strength of Year 6 outcomes, pupils are likely to be well placed for a range of secondary settings, including academically demanding options, provided the admissions route is realistic for the family’s location.

Admissions for Reception through Year 6 are administered through Derbyshire County Council rather than directly through the school.

For September 2026 Reception entry, Derbyshire’s timetable is explicit. Applications open on 10 November 2025 and close at midnight on 15 January 2026. Offers are issued on 16 April 2026. If families wish to appeal, the closing date for submitting an appeal is 15 May 2026, with appeals normally heard by 17 July 2026.

Demand data suggests competition. For the recorded admissions route, there were 46 applications for 21 offers, a ratio of 2.19 applications per place. This aligns with the school being classed as oversubscribed.

Nursery provision operates on a session model, with morning and afternoon sessions and an option for an all-day pattern for children attending for longer hours. Government-funded early education hours are available for eligible families. For nursery fee details, families should use the school website, as nursery pricing should be treated as changeable and is not published here.

Open days are not listed as fixed calendar events on the pages reviewed. Tours, particularly for early years, appear to be arranged by contacting the school office via the usual channels.

Pastoral culture here is built around clarity and follow-through. External review describes pupils feeling safe, staff being available to talk, and issues being dealt with quickly, with an expectation of respectful behaviour across the school day.

Safeguarding is reported as effective in the most recent inspection.

SEND is a significant part of the overall offer, not a footnote. Pupils with SEND are identified quickly, plans to support learning are described as clear, and staff training is used to ensure teaching is adapted appropriately. A designated unit supports pupils with more complex needs, and the expectation is that pupils with SEND access the full curriculum with the right adjustments.

Attendance is also flagged as an area of ongoing focus, with some pupils absent too often. Systems have been strengthened and expectations made clearer to families, with early signs of improvement.

Extracurricular life is a meaningful feature, particularly because it is used to broaden experience rather than simply fill time. Pupils are reported to take part in a cookery club, sports clubs, and wider trips and visits that are designed to have lasting impact, including residential experiences and visits linked to learning.

Sports provision is described with unusual specificity for a primary. The school references a specialist sports coach working alongside teachers to strengthen delivery of fundamentals, athletics and games, plus regular lunchtime coaching across Year 1 to Year 6, including intra-school competitions and preparation for inter-school events.

Facilities support this. The school highlights a modern sports hall, a large field, and netball markings on the playground, alongside fixed play equipment aimed at balance and climbing. The sports hall is also used by local clubs, including Taekwondo Martial Arts, which adds a community-use dimension to the site.

Pupil leadership and voice also appear in the way the school describes roles such as playground mini leaders, plus wider collaboration through the Five Pits Partnership, which brings together local schools for shared activities and development.

The school day for Reception to Year 6 starts at 8.45am and finishes at 3.15pm, meeting the 32.5-hour weekly expectation. Nursery sessions run 8.45am to 11.45am and 12.00pm to 3.00pm, with an all-day 8.45am to 3.00pm pattern for children attending longer hours.

Drop-off and collection routines are structured, including defined entry points for different year groups. Parking and travel details are not set out in a single transport page on the sources reviewed; families typically benefit from checking approach routes at the times they would travel and asking the school directly about any site-specific guidance.

Wraparound childcare (breakfast and after-school care) is referenced in terms of accessibility for pupils with SEND, but timings and provider details are not clearly published on the pages reviewed. Families who need wraparound as a non-negotiable should confirm the current offer directly with the school.

• Competition for places. Admissions data indicates oversubscription, with more than two applications per place in the recorded year. Families should apply on time and list realistic preferences in the Derbyshire coordinated process.

• Attendance expectations are tightening. External review notes that some pupils have historically been absent too often and that the school has strengthened systems. Families should expect firm follow-up and clear expectations.

• Curriculum implementation consistency. The intended curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced, but external review points to a small number of subjects where tasks do not always match that ambition. Families with children who need consistent challenge in every subject may want to ask how this is being addressed.

• Wraparound detail needs checking. If you rely on breakfast or after-school care, confirm the current schedule and capacity directly, as the published information is limited.

Pilsley Primary School combines a calm, high-expectation culture with results that place it among the highest-performing primaries in England. The strongest fit is for families who value academic outcomes, structured learning routines, and a school that takes SEND seriously through early identification, trained staff, and a designated unit for more complex needs.

Who it suits: families seeking a state primary with elite KS2 outcomes, clear behavioural expectations, and a strong early years and SEND offer. The limiting factor is likely to be admission competition rather than the educational experience once a place is secured.