Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is currently performing at a level that requires improvement, following its last inspection where it was rated outstanding 12 years ago. While there are notable strengths, such as a strong sense of community and positive relationships among pupils and staff, the school is still in the process of implementing significant changes to its curriculum and leadership. These changes are yet to fully realize the school's ambitions and address the areas needing development, particularly in the coherence of the curriculum and the quality of leadership in certain subjects.

Strengths

• Strong sense of community and welcoming environment
• Positive relationships between pupils and adults
• Strong emphasis on early reading and effective phonics instruction
• Pupils take on leadership roles and engage in school activities enthusiastically
• Good behaviour and positive attitudes among pupils
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum coherence is lacking in some subjects, particularly in English
• Leadership oversight in curriculum implementation needs strengthening
• Some parents feel communication and support for their children's needs could be improved
• Gaps in pupils' understanding persist due to inadequate use of assessment information

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 Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary 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 Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School had 27.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 7.8% of pupils at Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.4% 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 Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School received £6,172 and spent £6,219 for each of its 206 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £16,000 (£77 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 Calne · Wiltshire local authority: places and applications

What is Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School have?

Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School has 206 pupils on roll.

What age range does Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School cover?

Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 59% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?

Derry Hill Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is at Church Road, Derry Hill, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 9NN.