Abbotsholme School
School summary
Set in the Derbyshire countryside near Uttoxeter, Abbotsholme has been educating children since 1889 and today takes pupils from age two right through to eighteen, with boarding available alongside day places. It is a small school, with around 220 pupils, which lends itself to a close-knit atmosphere where individuals are known well. The ISI rated the school "good" overall and judged personal development "excellent", though parents should note that the inspectorate found compliance standards were not met. With roughly 30 per cent of pupils receiving SEN support, the school is geared towards children who benefit from individual attention.
Where every mark matters.
Places are limited and demand is high, so exam performance is what sets candidates apart. Passmate turns the months ahead into ten focused minutes a day on the exact topics this school tests.
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Inspection reports
- ISI rating
- good
- ISI personal development
- excellent
- Last inspected
- 16 April 2024
Teaching & academics
Teaching spans GCSE, A-level, BTEC and the EPQ, giving pupils both academic and vocational routes to suit different strengths. GCSE choices are notably broad for a school of this size, ranging from the sciences and humanities to citizenship, photography and fine art, with Spanish the modern language on offer. Business Studies is a popular A-level. Recent attainment has been below national averages, so families will want to discuss expected outcomes directly with the school.
Languages
GCSE subjects
Head · Mrs Amy Thornton
Sixth form
- Sixth-form pupils
- 48
Popular A-level subjects
Qualifications offered
Beyond the classroom
Sport has a distinctive flavour here, with equestrian alongside more familiar cricket and hockey, reflecting the school's rural setting. The strong showing for personal development in inspection points to a programme that values pupils' growth beyond the classroom.
Main sports
School life & ethos
- Founded
- 1889
- Religious character
- None
- Boarding
- Yes
- SEN support
- 30.45%
- EHC plans
- 1.82%
Fees & bursaries
- Day fees (per year)
- £10,170 - £25,185
- Boarding fees (per year)
- £20,985 - £44,313
Schools nearby
Denstone College
Uttoxeter, West Midlands
Draycott Moor College
Stoke-on-Trent, West Midlands
High Grange School
Mickleover, East Midlands
Rugeley School
Rugeley, West Midlands
Kinetic Academy
Stoke-on-Trent, West Midlands
Maple View School
Derby, East Midlands
Watch Passmate decide how to teach.
Answer as a child would. Left: what they see. Right: what it learns about them.
A small, rural all-through school with boarding and an unusually wide subject list for its size, best suited to families who value individual attention. The unmet compliance finding is worth raising at any visit.
That’s where Passmate comes in. Tutoring is the most effective thing in a child’s preparation - a well-tutored child can outperform the vast majority of their peers. Passmate works alongside your tutor, not instead of them: it learns how your child thinks, finds the gaps, and shows the tutor exactly where to spend each session - so the limited time you have lands on what actually decides a place.
Works alongside your child’s tutor - not instead of them.
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Abbotsholme School 11+: frequently asked questions
Compiled from public data. Last checked 5 June 2026.