Best Primary Schools in Derby 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 74 schools across Derby. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
74
Open primary schools in Derby
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
62 Good or better
of 73 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
Lawn Primary School currently leads
Methodology

Derby has 74 open primary schools. Of the 73 with a published Ofsted inspection, 6 (8%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 85% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Lawn Primary School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Derby follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Lawn Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 84 View school
2. Griffe Field Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 83 View school
3. Castleward Spencer Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 80 View school
4. St George's Catholic Voluntary Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 78 View school
5. Springfield Primary School
Primary
 Good 74 View school
6. Hackwood Primary Academy
Primary
 Good 74 View school
7. Parkview Primary School
Primary
 Good 73 View school
8. Borrow Wood Primary School
Primary
 Good 72 View school
9. Silverhill Primary School
Primary
 Good 69 View school
10. Homefields Primary School
Primary
 Good 69 View school
11. Redwood Primary School
Primary
 Good 69 View school
12. Gayton Junior School
Primary
 Good 69 View school
13. Cavendish Close Junior Academy
Primary
 Good 68 View school
14. Mickleover Primary School
Primary
 Good 68 View school
15. Ravensdale Infant and Nursery School
Primary
 Good 67 View school
16. Walter Evans Church of England Aided Primary School
Primary
 Good 67 View school
17. Chellaston Infant School
Primary
 Good 67 View school
18. Wyndham Spencer Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 65 View school
19. Carlyle Infant and Nursery Academy
Primary
 Good 64 View school
20. Portway Infant School
Primary
 Good 63 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Derby

Best primary schools in DerbyTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in DerbyTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in DerbyPrimary & secondary combined Secondary schools in DerbyYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in NottinghamCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in DerbyshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in NottinghamshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in LeicestershireCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Derby

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary schools are there in Derby?
There are 74 open primary schools in Derby (closed schools are excluded). 6 of the 73 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary schools in Derby?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary school in Derby is Lawn Primary School. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Derby?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Derby?
Primary and secondary applications in Derby are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Derby council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.