Derwent Primary School

Derwent Primary School is currently facing significant challenges, as it has been judged to require special measures due to its failure to provide an acceptable standard of education. Despite the presence of a new headteacher who has initiated some changes, there remains a lack of capacity among the leadership to implement the necessary improvements. Published data reveals that pupils have consistently underperformed in reading, writing, and mathematics over the last three years, with many pupils not achieving the foundational skills needed for future academic success. On a positive note, the school demonstrates strong pastoral support and a commitment to personal development, helping pupils learn about cultural diversity and promoting mental health and wellbeing. The school environment is described as welcoming, and pupils have opportunities to engage in school improvement initiatives. However, significant issues in behaviour management, curriculum delivery, and support for disadvantaged students, including those with special educational needs, overshadow these strengths, indicating a need for urgent improvements across various aspects of the school’s operations.

Strengths

• Strong pastoral support for pupils' emotional and social needs
• Well-organized programmes promoting personal development and well-being
• Pupils appreciate the school environment and its friendly atmosphere
• Opportunities for pupils to take on responsibilities, such as school councillors

Areas for Improvement

• Overall educational standards are below the expected level
• Pupils' achievement in key subjects has been consistently poor
• Behaviour management is inconsistent, leading to suspensions
• Lack of effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
• Leadership has not secured necessary improvements and lacks capacity

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 Derwent Primary School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.5% 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, 3.0% of pupils at Derwent 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 Derwent Primary School had 16.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.1% 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, 16.6% of pupils at Derwent Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.5% 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 2024–25 Derwent Primary School received £7,280 and spent £7,360 for each of its 289 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £69,000 (-£240 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of One Academy Trust, income was £7,036 and spending £7,198 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

Derwent Primary School is part of One Academy Trust, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• Shardlow Primary School Derby
• Dovedale Primary School Nottingham
• Sawley Infant and Nursery School Nottingham
• Sawley Junior School Nottingham
• Southwark Primary School Nottingham
• Arnbrook Primary School Nottingham
• Abbey Primary School Mansfield

What is Derwent Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Derwent Primary School is Urgent improvement, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Derwent Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Derwent Primary School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Derwent Primary School have?

Derwent Primary School has 313 pupils on roll.

What age range does Derwent Primary School cover?

Derwent Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Derwent Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 29% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Derwent Primary School?

Derwent Primary School is at St Mark's Road, Derby, Derbyshire, DE21 6AL.