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Peterborough Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-4
72nd
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 224 New Hampshire Elementary Schools
Better than 68% of New Hampshire elementary schools
Summary

Peterborough Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-4 in Peterborough, New Hampshire, with 232 students enrolled. The school consistently outperforms the Contoocook Valley School District and the state of New Hampshire in academic proficiency, with 60% of students proficient or better in mathematics and 56% proficient or better in reading, compared to 41% and 55% for the district and state, respectively.

Peterborough Elementary School has maintained strong academic performance over the past several years, consistently ranking in the top 25% of New Hampshire elementary schools. The school also performs well across different student groups, ranking 48th out of 182 for female students and 77th out of 186 for male students in mathematics proficiency. Additionally, the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 8.5 to 9.6 students per teacher, which may contribute to its academic success.

While Peterborough Elementary School outperforms the other schools in the Contoocook Valley School District, some nearby schools, such as Francestown Elementary School and Hancock Elementary School, also demonstrate strong academic performance in certain areas. This suggests there may be valuable practices or approaches that can be shared and learned from across the district.

254
Students ?
10.3
Student/teacher ratio ?
$24,508
Per pupil spending ?
31.9%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 17 High St.
       Peterborough, NH  03458-2404

(603) 924-3828

District: Contoocook Valley School District


Students who attend Peterborough Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    South Meadow School
High:    Conval Regional High School
Racial breakdown:

White:
93.7%
Two or more races:
3.5%
Hispanic:
1.6%
more
 See top rated New Hampshire elementary schools

 Compare Peterborough Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
Ranking trend: Holding steady — 64th percentile in 2014 → 68th in 2025
Strengths
Test scores above the New Hampshire average (58% vs 48% meeting standards)
Above the New Hampshire median (68th percentile)
Small classes — about 10 students per teacher
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school58%
District avg48%
New Hampshire avg48%
72nd of 224
New Hampshire public elementary schools ?
Top 32%▲ up 46 pts since 2015
From bottom 22% (2015) to top 32% (2025)
See the entire ranking list of New Hampshire Elementary Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
1st of 2Elementary Schools in the Contoocook Valley School District
96th of 158Contoocook Valley School District among New Hampshire districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew Hampshire percentileRating
202564.272 of 22467.9%★★★☆☆
202472.652 of 23477.8%★★★★☆
202376.645 of 23781.0%★★★★☆
202274.645 of 23380.7%★★★★☆
202169.354 of 21174.4%★★★★☆
201937.5155 of 23132.9%★★☆☆☆
201857.997 of 23158.0%★★★☆☆
201750.6120 of 22947.6%★★☆☆☆
201527.1161 of 20621.8%★☆☆☆☆
201462.887 of 24264.0%★★★☆☆
201347.1157 of 24134.9%★★☆☆☆
201258.9103 of 24157.3%★★★☆☆
201139.3164 of 23730.8%★★☆☆☆
201049.9133 of 24245.0%★★☆☆☆
200941.6166 of 24030.8%★★☆☆☆
200848.2140 of 23640.7%★★☆☆☆
200747.5136 of 23742.6%★★☆☆☆
200644.7141 of 23840.8%★★☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew Hampshire percentileRating
202567.048 of 18273.6%★★★★☆
202473.039 of 18779.1%★★★★☆
202375.933 of 19382.9%★★★★☆
202288.612 of 18793.6%★★★★★
202177.029 of 16081.9%★★★★☆
201947.0110 of 19242.7%★★☆☆☆
201871.336 of 19081.1%★★★★☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew Hampshire percentileRating
202556.477 of 18658.6%★★★☆☆
202467.260 of 19368.9%★★★★☆
202370.648 of 19975.9%★★★★☆
202244.9113 of 19441.8%★★☆☆☆
202147.886 of 16848.8%★★☆☆☆
201930.4146 of 19525.1%★☆☆☆☆
201843.8117 of 19540.0%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew Hampshire percentileRating
202559.287 of 22361.0%★★★☆☆
202471.452 of 22877.2%★★★★☆
202375.546 of 23380.3%★★★★☆
202272.848 of 22979.0%★★★★☆
202167.558 of 20972.2%★★★★☆
201936.4160 of 22930.1%★★☆☆☆
201857.194 of 22758.6%★★★☆☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Female (2025)74th percentile+6 vs school
White (2025)61st percentile-7 vs school
Male (2025)59th percentile-9 vs school
By subject vs New Hampshire (2024-2025) ?
Mathematics60%+18 vs state
Reading56%~ state avg

3.0
2 ratings · 2 written reviews
51
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What people are saying
by a parent
Saturday, June 15, 2024

Open Quote Peterborough Elementary School Review: A Disappointing Experience

As a parent of children attending Peterborough Elementary School, I must express my deep disappointment with the institution's quality of education and overall management. It's evident that the school caters either to the town's elite or to children with special needs, leaving those in between—like my own—who should be solid B students, utterly neglected.

Firstly, the administration's incompetence is glaring. Decades of weak leadership have fostered an environment where mediocrity thrives and scandals are swept under the rug rather than addressed. It seems they are more concerned with maintaining a façade of respectability than actually improving the educational experience for all students.

My children, who come from a background that should afford them a decent education, have instead found themselves lost in a sea of neglect. The resources allocated to them are paltry compared to what is lavished upon either the town's privileged few or those with more severe educational needs. This disparity not only hampers their academic progress but also sends a clear message about the school's priorities—or lack thereof.

In terms of academics, the curriculum seems outdated and uninspiring. There is little effort made to engage students who are capable of more than just scraping by. Instead of nurturing potential, the school seems content to let average students languish, while simultaneously failing to provide the necessary support for those who struggle.

Overall, Peterborough Elementary School is a perfect example of a failing educational institution that has lost sight of its mission to educate all students equally. Unless drastic changes are made to the leadership, curriculum, and overall attitude towards student welfare, I cannot in good conscience recommend this school to any parent looking for a nurturing and academically enriching environment for their children. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, March 26, 2009

Open Quote PES has a great reading program along with other resources to keep children on the same levels as others. More importantly the motto for the school is be Kind and Respectful which is very much inforced. I was very worried about bullying when my daughter started school but my fears were quickly put to rest when I saw the zero tollerance for children being disrespectful to others. The principle, Mrs. Copley is very kind, fair and very hands on. The children are rewarded periodically for keeping a kind environment. The school has small class sizes so the teachers have the ability to address the children as individuals. When I walk into the school I am always aware of the warm and friendly atmosphere, coming from a tight knit and great community of families. We are fortunate to have a very famous artist center/retreat just a mile away from the school, so we have famous artists and authors visiting our school all of the time. I was very shocked to see the school's ranking, there are much more important components than test score alone. I could not be happier with my expirience with PES. Close Quote





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Frequently Asked Questions about Peterborough Elementary School

Students at Peterborough Elementary School are 94% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

Peterborough Elementary School ranks 72nd of 224 New Hampshire elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Peterborough Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : South Meadow School
High : Conval Regional High School

In the 2024-25 school year, 254 students attended Peterborough Elementary School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Hampshire Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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