Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School

Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School has demonstrated good overall effectiveness following its recent inspection, marking a notable improvement from its previous grade of requires improvement. The school offers a warm and nurturing environment where pupils feel valued and supported, establishing strong relationships between staff and students. With a clear focus on fundamental principles of safety, respect, and the right to learn, Unstone is successful in fostering a positive culture and high expectations among its pupils. However, some areas for growth have been identified, particularly in the teaching of phonics and the precision of support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Strong relationships and care for pupils
• Broad and ambitious curriculum
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• High expectations for pupils' behaviour
• Inclusive environment promoting diverse perspectives
• Significant improvements in early reading instruction

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent delivery of phonics lessons lacking precision
• Unclear targets and strategies for pupils with SEND
• Underdeveloped assessment in foundation subjects

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 Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School attended 93.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.0% 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, 2.4% of pupils at Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant 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 Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School had 17.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 50.0% 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, 32.0% of pupils at Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.0% 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 Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School received £10,521 and spent £11,304 for each of its 46 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £17,000 (£370 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 Dronfield · Derbyshire local authority: places and applications

What is Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School have?

Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School has 50 pupils on roll.

What age range does Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School cover?

Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School for pupils aged 3 to 7.

Where is Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School?

Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School is at Crow Lane, Unstone, Dronfield, Derbyshire, S18 4AL.