Carsington and Hopton Primary School

Carsington and Hopton Primary School has demonstrated continued effectiveness in its educational offerings, maintaining its status as a good school since its last inspection in 2018. Pupils at the school thrive in a supportive environment, showing enjoyment in their learning and engaging in thoughtful discussions. The curriculum is designed thoughtfully, catering to pupils from various ages and abilities, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Parent feedback highlights a sense of community and care among staff and students, contributing positively to the school's atmosphere. Despite its successes, the school faces challenges in ensuring that all pupils develop strong reading skills. There are some misconceptions in phonics that need urgent attention to help students read more fluently and confidently. The school is actively addressing these concerns and has established plans for improvements, particularly in its phonics instruction. Overall, while the school's strengths are notable, ongoing efforts to refine aspects of its curriculum, particularly in reading, will further enhance pupil outcomes.

Strengths

• Strong sense of community and care among staff and pupils.
• Ambitious curriculum tailored for mixed age classes.
• Effective collaboration with other schools in The Village Federation.
• Robust support for pupils with SEND, enabling them to achieve well.
• Effective training for staff in curriculum, behaviour, and safeguarding.
• Rich opportunities for wider pupil development through planned activities.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils have misconceptions in phonics affecting their reading proficiency.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Carsington and Hopton Primary School attended 94.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Carsington and Hopton Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Carsington and Hopton Primary School had 7.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 6.5% of pupils at Carsington and Hopton Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 12.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Carsington and Hopton Primary School received £15,410 and spent £15,422 for each of its 31 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £20,000 (£636 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Matlock · Derbyshire local authority: places and applications

What is Carsington and Hopton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Carsington and Hopton Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Carsington and Hopton Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Carsington and Hopton Primary School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Carsington and Hopton Primary School have?

Carsington and Hopton Primary School has 31 pupils on roll.

What age range does Carsington and Hopton Primary School cover?

Carsington and Hopton Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

Where is Carsington and Hopton Primary School?

Carsington and Hopton Primary School is at Carsington, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 4DE.