Community school · Nottingham

Dovecote Primary and Nursery School

3–11Ages
288Pupils
PrimaryPhase
134841URN

Greencroft, Clifton, Nottingham, NG11 8EY · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.7per place

close to Nottingham median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Nottingham

28 applications for 17 places · 44th of 72 in Nottingham

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

27%met the expected standard

Nottingham 62% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 15 October 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education			Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes			Requires improvement
Personal development			Requires improvement
Leadership and management			Requires improvement
Early years provision			Requires improvement

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.7applications per place, Reception

close to Nottingham median (1.8) 0.5 below England median (2.2)

28 applications · 17 places offered · 16 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.7; Nottingham median median 1.8
2025 1.8; Nottingham median median 1.9
2024 2.1; Nottingham median median 1.8
2023 1.7; Nottingham median median 1.8
2022 1.7; Nottingham median median 1.8
2021 1.6; Nottingham median median 1.9
2020 1.2; Nottingham median median 2.0
2019 1.4; Nottingham median median 2.1
2018 1.7; Nottingham median median 2.3
2017 1.6; Nottingham median median 2.3
2016 1.5; Nottingham median median 2.3
2015 1.7; Nottingham median median 2.2
2014 1.5; Nottingham median median 2.2

More applications per place than the Nottingham median in 1 of 13 years.

This school
Nottingham median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	17	28	1.7	16	0.94
Sep 2025	22	40	1.8	22	1.00
Sep 2024	27	56	2.1	25	0.93
Sep 2023	44	73	1.7	41	0.93
Sep 2022	26	43	1.7	26	1.00
Sep 2021	24	38	1.6	24	1.00
Sep 2020	41	51	1.2	38	0.93
Sep 2019	45	62	1.4	44	0.98
Sep 2018	42	72	1.7	37	0.88
Sep 2017	59	95	1.6	57	0.97
Sep 2016	56	86	1.5	47	0.84
Sep 2015	59	102	1.7	53	0.90
Sep 2014	59	89	1.5	63	1.07

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 50% · Writing 60% · Maths 33% → all three 27% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard27%73rd of 73 in Nottingham

Nottingham 62% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard50%

Nottingham 75% England 78%

Higher standard15%

Nottingham 26% England 33%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard60%

Nottingham 75% England 75%

Greater depth4%

Nottingham 10% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard33%

Nottingham 75% England 77%

Higher standard6%

Nottingham 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 96 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Nottingham median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	27%	0%	100	96
2023/24	52%	3%	104	100
2022/23	46%	0%	104	99

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Dovecote Primary and Nursery SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.7applications per place 27%met the SATs standard
The Glapton Academy
0.9 km · Nottingham

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Blessed Robert Widmerpool Catholic Primary and Nursery School
1.4 km · Nottingham

Outstanding2022

2.0applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Whitegate Primary and Nursery School
1.4 km · Nottingham

Good2021

1.7applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
The Milford Academy
1.4 km · Nottingham

2026

1.8applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Highbank Primary and Nursery School
2.0 km · Nottingham

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Trent Vale Infant School
2.0 km · Nottinghamshire

Standards maintained2025

1.7applications per place
Beeston Rylands Junior School
2.2 km · Nottinghamshire

Remains Good2023

76%met the SATs standard
Greythorn Primary School
2.2 km · Nottinghamshire

Remains Good2024

4.1applications per place 67%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 134841 · 892/3323
Capacity: 270 pupils · 288 on roll
Free school meals: 44.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2005
Address: Greencroft, Clifton, Nottingham, NG11 8EY
Local authority: Nottingham

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources