Derwent Primary School

Derwent Primary School

Address: St Mark's Road, Derby, Derbyshire, DE21 6AL Unique reference number (URN): 144343

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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This school requires special measures

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that there is a clear programme to support pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. It is designed carefully and adapted to reflect the local area. It helps pupils to learn about the differences between people and fairness. Pupils talk knowledgeably about a range of cultures and religions. They develop an appreciation of how wonderful the world is and their role in looking after it.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have established well-organised pastoral support. This ensures that pupils have access to a range of adults, who help them with emotional and social needs. A range of approaches help pupils manage their feelings. Nurture provision helps pupils feel calm and supported in school. Leaders provide appropriate attention to pupils' mental health and wellbeing. They have taken steps to respond to challenges in the local community and some pupils' limited experiences outside of school. It plans visits and trips to help pupils learn more about the wider world.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to share their views and take on responsibility. Pupils value roles, such as school councillors and play leaders. Their work to improve playtimes, including raising money for equipment and choosing what to buy, has helped pupils play more positively together. It ensures that pupils understand simple democratic ideas, linked to fundamental British values, such as voting and having a say.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils speak warmly about the school and describe it as friendly and welcoming. They talk about values, such as fairness and kindness. Pupils know basic messages about staying healthy and safe. This includes how to look after themselves when working online.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school takes effective steps so that disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities can take part fully in the school’s wide offer. Funding is used to support access to activities and provide extra help so more pupils benefit from these opportunities. Typically, pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Behaviour is mixed. In some afternoon sessions, behaviour is not focused or positive in some classrooms. Teachers' expectations of pupils to behave well are not high enough. Sometimes, tasks do not match the objective or the needs of the pupils and there can be off- task behaviour as a result. In a few cases, a small minority of pupils persistently disrupt learning. Consequently, there are too many suspensions from the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

The morning sessions are much more positive. During these times, the school ensures that pupils' behaviour across the school is typically calm and orderly. Pupils walk purposefully and respectfully around the school. They hold doors for one another and greet adults appropriately. They demonstrate generally positive attitudes to their learning during these lessons.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

The school has high expectations of pupils to attend well. It analyses everyone’s attendance carefully. It works closely with pupils, parents and families. This ensures that any barriers to good attendance are explored fully. Where appropriate, the school looks for help from external agencies to provide support. This has resulted in a reduction in persistent absence and to increasing attendance overall. Pupils say that they enjoy coming to school

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Early years Needs attention

The school has a clear and inclusive vision for the early years but it is not fully realised. Staff do not engage in high-quality conversations with children well enough. This limits some children from developing their learning fully. The school has ensured that the curriculum is structured yet flexible so that it can be adapted to most children's needs. However, this is not consistently in place.

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Early years Needs attention

Activities are well organised, stimulating and engaging. Children get the opportunity to work on their own and with others. Relationships between adults and children are highly positive.

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Early years Needs attention

The school has placed reading at the heart of the curriculum. High-quality texts link closely to what the children are learning. Key, important vocabulary has been identified. This helps children explain what they have learned. Staff have the necessary skills to help pupils learn to read and write correctly. Many children become adept in working with numbers and are ready for Year 1.

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Early years Needs attention

The school provides opportunities for children to learn about themselves, including in pre- school. It helps children to recognise their emotions and share how they are feeling. It provides opportunities for children to face challenges and develop resilience. This means that children settle quickly and behave well.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Many pupils do not achieve well at this school. Published data shows that, by the end of Year 6, pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been below the national average for the last 3 years. Gaps in pupils' knowledge are not identified. Pupils do not receive the necessary support to help them fill these gaps. While there has been an improvement in the overall outcomes for reading at the end of key stage 2, this is not the case for disadvantaged pupils. They continue to lag behind others in the school.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Many pupils lack pride in their work. Letters are incorrectly formed and pupils' inaccurate use of grammar means they do not express themselves well. Many pupils do not have the basic skills that they need to access the full curriculum or to be ready for their next steps in education.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The school has not done enough to tackle the weaknesses in how the curriculum is taught in this school. Despite considerable supportive visits from the trust, there has been little sign of improvement. Not all staff share the new headteacher’s ambition to ensure that all pupils thrive academically. This is especially true for disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The school has established an ambitious curriculum. It sets out clear end points and enables pupils to build on prior learning. This is for all subjects. However, there are inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the teaching of the curriculum. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low. They do not make suitable adaptations or adjustments to pupils’ learning. Training for staff to improve their practice has been ineffective. Teachers lack the necessary subject knowledge to teach all curriculum subjects well. Learning activities are often poorly designed and do not support or challenge pupils appropriately.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The school ensures that pupils learn to read as soon as they start at this school. However, it does not focus closely enough on the important knowledge in reading, writing and number that pupils need to succeed.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The systems in the school to support the most disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are not effective enough. While there has been a concerted effort to focus on those pupils with SEND recently, little has been done to identify the needs of pupils in other groups, such as those pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL). This means that many pupils do not receive the support they need to achieve and thrive. This includes those pupils with SEND.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The school has not ensured that staff have the knowledge they need to support all groups of pupils well. Training has not been effective. Staff do not adapt tasks to suit pupils' needs. Too many barriers to their learning remain. Where adaptations are made, they are too broad and lack precision to suit each individual. However, the school has established a range of additional support strategies. These are specific and purposeful. The school is in the early stages of checking the effectiveness of these strategies.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The school has established a pupil premium strategy. This identifies appropriate actions. However, its implementation lacks precision. Along with the lack of support for pupils with SEND, those known to social care and pupils with EAL, disadvantaged pupils do not achieve well.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

The school has established an inclusive culture. It works closely with external agencies, parents and carers. There is a sense of belonging.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders have not done enough to bring about essential improvement at this school. Support over recent years has not had the necessary impact. Pupils' achievement has been poor for a considerable amount of time with little sign of improvement. The appointment of a new headteacher has led to a raising of expectations and greater clarity of purpose. However, these improvements have only just started. There is still much to do.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Those responsible for governance do not receive the right information to hold leaders to account. They are not rigorous in their work. They are not fully aware of the performance of the school or the root cause of its poor practice. Those responsible for governance are not well prepared to provide appropriate support and challenge. They lack knowledge of how to fulfil their statutory obligations, for example they do not ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities thrive.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leadership, overall, lacks the knowledge and expertise to bring about rapid improvement. Improvements in many areas of the school's work have been slow. There is limited capacity to tackle the weaknesses.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The school ensures that staff's wellbeing is considered. Staff feel well supported. However, not all staff share the school's ambition to do their best for all pupils.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils’ experiences of education are not good enough at this school. The teaching of the curriculum lacks clarity and purpose. This means that many pupils do not understand what they are learning or how it fits into the learning journey. Tasks do not reflect the purpose of the learning well enough. Pupils are often unclear of what they should be doing. This limits their progress through the curriculum.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school does not identify the needs of pupils well. This is especially the case for disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those with other barriers to their learning. Teachers do not have the information they need so that they can support these pupils effectively in lessons. Sometimes, staff do not have the knowledge or experience to use the strategies that are in place and might help pupils to learn. As a consequence, many pupils do not achieve well. In addition, many of them miss periods of school through suspension.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school has established clear routines and expectations for behaviour. Pupils come into school calmly. Staff greet them with enthusiasm and warmth. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils say that staff help them if they are worried. The school's focus on improving attendance means that pupils attend regularly. Pupils enjoy coming to school. There is a sense of community.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school provides a range of opportunities for pupils to be active in making the school a better place. This helps them recognise the importance of supporting others. Pupils enjoy the responsibilities that the school offers and the wide range of clubs. The school council help make playtimes a better, more enjoyable time. Pupils understand about tolerance and respect. This helps them to be active citizens and be prepared for life in modern Britain.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The arrival of the new headteacher has provided a renewed sense of clarity and purpose. However, leaders, including those responsible for governance, have not done enough over time to bring about the improvements that this school needs.

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Next steps

Those responsible for governance must ensure that they develop leadership capacity so that all leaders have the skills that they need to make the necessary improvements swiftly and effectively. Those responsible for governance should ensure that they develop the knowledge and skills to hold leaders fully to account for their work. Leaders should ensure that the needs of disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known to social care and those who may have barriers to their learning, are identified carefully and that information to support these pupils is shared with all staff. Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise to deliver the curriculum well and appropriately support all pupils so that they are able to overcome any barriers they may have to their learning and/or wellbeing. Leaders should make sure that pupils acquire the essential foundational knowledge

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Next steps

needed to secure their future success, so that they achieve well across the curriculum and are ready for their next phase of learning. Leaders should continue to improve pupils’ behaviour and ensure that the number of suspensions and exclusions reduces. Leaders should ensure that adults engage in high-quality interactions with pupils, particularly in the early years.

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Team inspectors:

Stephen Long, Ofsted Inspector Sylvie Newman, Ofsted Inspector

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About this inspection

This school is part of the One Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Graham Boyd, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Taylor.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, early years leader, the chief executive officer and representatives from the trust, trustees and a range of teaching and non-teaching staff. They also spoke to a wide range of pupils throughout the school during the inspection.

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About this inspection

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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About this inspection

HMCI strongly recommends that the school does not seek to appoint early career teachers. The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be considered again during any monitoring inspection we carry out.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

This school joined the One Education Trust in September 2023.

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About this inspection

There has been a new headteacher since the previous inspection, who was appointed in September 2025.

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About this inspection

The school admits pupils from the age of 3 years into its nursery.

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About this inspection

The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years. National average: 26.3%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 54% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 63% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 4.9% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.1% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.6% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 11.9% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 12.3% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 13.2% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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