Schools by area › Derbyshire › St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy
St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Academy
Palace Fields, Buxton SK17 6AF · stthomasmorebuxton.srscmat.co.uk · 0129823167
On the mapSearch near SK17 6AF
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Jun 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 49.5
- average Attainment 8 score. Derbyshire 45, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 407
- 90% of 450 places
- Local authority
- Derbyshire
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 33.4%
- First language not English
- 6.9%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 86 families put the school first and 87 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 87 | 86 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 50 | 50 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 79 | 73 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 81 | 76 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 85 | 75 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 49.5, and 47.2% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Derbyshire it was 45, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲49.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ●47.2% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲80.9% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼23.6% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.10 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 112971)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 12.2 | +4.5 |
| Sixth form college | 34.4 | −14 |
| Further education | 32.2 | +4.7 |
| Other education | 1.1 | 0 |
| Apprenticeship | 4.4 | +1.1 |
| Employment | 6.7 | +4.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5.6 | −1 |
| Activity not captured | 3.3 | 0 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy on 3 June 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 3 Jun 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jan 2023
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 112971), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Jan 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
May 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 112971)
Dec 2008Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 112971)
What parents said
81% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (113 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 81%
- Replies
- 113
- 27% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 85% who raised concerns
based on the 38% who had a child bullied
based on 35 parents (31%) with SEND