Da Vinci Academy

Da Vinci Academy is making notable improvements in various areas, especially in attendance and behavior management. Leaders have effectively improved pupil attendance to be in line with national figures, demonstrating their commitment to supporting vulnerable students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The school's proactive approach to safeguarding ensures that pupils feel safe and supported, fostering a positive learning environment. However, concerns remain regarding academic achievement, as many pupils underachieve significantly at the end of key stage 4, indicating a need for more effective teaching practices across the curriculum.

Strengths

• Strong attendance improvement aligning with national figures.
• Effective support for vulnerable pupils, including those with SEND.
• Positive culture of safeguarding, making pupils feel safe.
• High staff presence and clear behavior expectations create a conducive learning environment.
• Inclusive curriculum adaptations meet the needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Achievement remains too low with significant underperformance at key stage 4.
• Inconsistent lesson adaptations fail to meet all pupils' needs, particularly those with SEND.
• Assessment practices do not reliably identify misconceptions or address knowledge gaps.
• Quality of teaching varies, affecting overall student outcomes.

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 Da Vinci Academy attended 91.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 27.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 13.2% of pupils at Da Vinci Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 5 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 Da Vinci Academy had 14.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 30.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 16.0% of pupils at Da Vinci Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Da Vinci Academy received £9,348 and spent £9,933 for each of its 705 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £246,000 (£349 per pupil).

Across all 27 schools of L.E.A.D. Academy Trust, income was £8,020 and spending £8,028 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Derby · Derby local authority: places and applications

Da Vinci Academy is part of L.E.A.D. Academy Trust, which runs 27 schools. The nearest others:

• Noel-Baker Academy Derby
• Cloudside Academy Nottingham
• Jubilee L.E.A.D. Academy Nottingham
• The Glapton Academy Nottingham
• Radford Primary School Academy Nottingham
• Edna G. Olds Academy Nottingham
• Huntingdon Academy Nottingham
• Sycamore Academy Nottingham
• Warren Primary Academy Nottingham
• St Ann's Well Academy Nottingham

What is Da Vinci Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Da Vinci Academy is Needs attention, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was Da Vinci Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Da Vinci Academy was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does Da Vinci Academy have?

Da Vinci Academy has 668 pupils on roll.

What age range does Da Vinci Academy cover?

Da Vinci Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Da Vinci Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 35.0, and 25% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Da Vinci Academy?

Da Vinci Academy is at St Andrew's View, Breadsall, Derby, Derbyshire, DE21 4ET.