Taxal and Fernilee CofE Primary School Review 2026: High Peak primary with strong outcomes and a clear Church school identity

For a state primary, the 2024 data points to outcomes that are comfortably above England averages in the core measures that most parents care about.

Headline KS2 measure (combined)

• 87% reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined (England average: 62%).

• 32.33% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics (England average: 8%).

Subject measures and scaled scores

• Reading: average scaled score 108; 86% at the expected standard; 43% at the higher standard.

• Mathematics: average scaled score 106; 89% at the expected standard; 29% at the higher standard.

• Grammar, punctuation and spelling: average scaled score 109; 86% at the expected standard; 46% at the higher standard.

• Science: 89% reached the expected standard (England average: 82%).

In FindMySchool’s primary ranking (based on official assessment data), the school is ranked 2,293rd in England and 2nd in High Peak, which places it above England average and comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England. (FindMySchool ranking based on official data.)

What this means in practice is that the typical Year 6 cohort is leaving with strong literacy and numeracy foundations, and with a meaningful proportion working beyond the expected standard, not only just scraping it.

The inspection evidence and the school’s published curriculum signals point to a school that is actively building and refining its curriculum, rather than treating it as static.

In the 2023 inspection report, mathematics and English are identified as areas where leaders had already designed the curriculum with clear key knowledge, with mathematics curriculum planning described as carefully sequenced. Reading is described as a priority, with a phonics scheme in place and staff trained to deliver it, alongside targeted support for pupils who fall behind.

That report also flags a clear improvement area: in some subjects such as history and music, the curriculum was described as less well developed at the time, with leaders needing to clarify what should be learned, and by when, so that knowledge builds over time. That is the kind of detail parents can use. If your child loves humanities or music, it is sensible to ask how curriculum development has progressed since 2023, and how subject leadership works in a small school.

There are also signs of specialist teaching being used intelligently for a small primary. The school explains that, at times, teachers teach across classes in areas such as music and PE to play to strengths and expertise. In a seven-class school, this can be an effective way to raise quality and consistency without overloading a single class teacher with every subject lead responsibility.

There is no published list of destination secondaries on the school website that can be cited reliably, and families in Whaley Bridge often consider a mix of Derbyshire, Cheshire, and Greater Manchester options depending on travel patterns and family circumstances.

What can be said with confidence is what good transition practice looks like in a smaller primary. In a seven-class structure, Year 6 tends to be high-visibility, and transition work can be tightly coordinated, both for pupils and for parents. When you speak to the school, it is worth asking:

• Which secondary schools they liaise with most frequently for transition.

• How they support pupils moving to different schools across county boundaries.

• Whether they run specific transition projects in the summer term, for example routines, organisational skills, and pastoral handovers.

For families who want to keep choices open, the strong KS2 outcomes in reading, writing and maths are a helpful base, because they support both academic confidence and practical readiness for a more departmentalised secondary timetable.

Admissions are coordinated by Derbyshire, and the school is oversubscribed on the available application data. For the primary entry route there were 43 applications for 24 offers, which is 1.79 applications per place. The demand level is recorded as oversubscribed.

The school’s admissions page sets out the priority order clearly. It starts with pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, then looked-after children, then distance-based criteria with priority for siblings, followed by additional criteria including religious grounds for some applicants.

The faith aspect needs careful reading, because it is often misunderstood. The admissions page explicitly notes that baptism is not required, and it also clarifies that a supplementary religious form is only relevant in specific circumstances, particularly for families living out of the normal area who are seeking priority on religious grounds. In other words, the Church of England character is real in ethos, but it is not presented as a blanket admissions gate.

For September 2026 Reception entry (2026 to 2027 academic year), Derbyshire’s published dates are:

• Applications open: 10 November 2025

• Closing date: midnight on 15 January 2026

• National Offer Day: 16 April 2026

A practical tip for parents comparing options is to use the FindMySchool Map Search and shortlist tools alongside the local authority admissions guide. That combination helps you sanity-check travel time, alternative preferences, and the realistic shape of choices if your first preference does not come through.

Pastoral culture here is closely linked to the school’s stated values and its Church framework, with a clear focus on inclusion and care.

The SIAMS report explicitly links the vision and values to a culture where adults are supported, and where pastoral support is described as inclusive, with a variety of teaching and therapeutic strategies. It also references structured opportunities such as “Team Thursdays” aimed at developing social and life skills.

From a safeguarding perspective, the 2023 inspection report describes staff identifying pupils at risk quickly, leaders pursuing support for families, and routine safeguarding training. For parents, the most useful follow-up questions are often operational: who the designated safeguarding leads are, how concerns are recorded, and how the school communicates with families when patterns of low-level concerns emerge.

The school website also frames safeguarding as central and references regular audits and governor oversight, which suggests governance involvement rather than safeguarding being left solely to staff.

Small schools can be either limited or brilliantly intentional about enrichment. The evidence here points to the second.

After-school clubs with specific examples

The school publishes a termly clubs list (example shown for Spring 2024), including Multi-sports, Dance, Chess, Computing, Art, Choir (KS2), and a few options that are slightly more distinctive for a primary such as Anime and Origami. Those details matter because they indicate variety beyond the standard sports-only offer, and they suggest a school that is willing to respond to pupil interests.

Outdoor learning and grounds as an asset

The facilities description is unusually specific for a primary. The site includes a wildlife area, forest school area, tyre park, adventure playground, an enclosed courtyard garden with raised beds and a greenhouse, plus access to adjacent park playing fields and a multi-use games area. This is a practical advantage, particularly for pupils who learn best through doing, and for families who value outdoor time as part of normal school life rather than as an occasional treat.

Embedded enrichment and real projects

A good example is the Fields to Fabric project, which the school describes as showing how plants can be made into fabric and encouraging pupils to think about sustainability in textiles. The page references growing flax as the shared input, with families involved through planting seeds. This is the sort of project that makes a curriculum feel lived-in: it links science, geography, design, and values around sustainability in a way pupils can grasp.

The enrichment page also lists examples of activities by age phase, including forest school, gardening and growing, and local visits, which supports the idea that enrichment is planned rather than purely opportunistic.

School day

Published timings indicate gates open at 8.45am, registration at 8.55am, worship at 10.10am, and the day ending at 3.25pm for Key Stage 1 and 3.30pm for Key Stage 2.

Wraparound care

Wraparound care is provided via the Taxal and Fernilee Out of School Club (a separate entity operating in the school building). Published opening hours are breakfast club 7.45am to 8.55am and after-school club 3.25pm to 6pm. Fees are published, including £4.50 for a breakfast session and after-school sessions at £6 to 4.30pm or £9 to 6pm.

Local travel

The school is in Whaley Bridge, and travel practicalities will depend heavily on whether you are walking from within the village or driving from surrounding areas. The best approach is to trial the journey at drop-off time rather than relying on off-peak satnav, especially in winter months.

• Competition for places. The available admissions data suggests demand is high for the number of offers made (1.79 applications per place on the primary entry route). Families should treat it as a school where second and third preferences matter.

• Church school life is not a side note. Worship is built into the timetable, and the school’s Church framework is visible in language and routines. This suits many families; those who want a strictly secular daily rhythm should ask detailed questions before deciding.

• Curriculum development across all subjects. The 2023 inspection report praised the sequencing in mathematics and the focus on reading, but also identified that some subjects needed clearer knowledge sequencing. Ask what has changed since 2023, particularly for history and music.

• Wraparound is run separately. The out of school club is a separate organisation with its own booking processes and policies. This is often positive operationally, but parents should read the terms and cancellation rules carefully.

This is a high-performing village primary with outcomes that place it comfortably within the top quarter of primary schools in England, and with a values-led Church of England identity that is clear but not exclusionary in admissions. Its strongest fit is for families who want strong KS2 results, outdoor learning as a normal part of school life, and a school culture built around shared language and worship rhythms. Entry remains the practical hurdle, so families should plan preferences carefully and keep realistic alternatives on their shortlist.