Ash Croft Primary Academy

About Ash Croft Primary Academy

When you compare Ash Croft Primary Academy’s headline metrics against the Derby local authority average for primary schools, the picture is mixed. The school’s KS2 combined expected standard in reading, writing and maths sits at 42%, well below the LA average of 55%. That places it 47th out of 74 primary schools in Derby, firmly in the bottom half of the local league table. Nationally, it ranks in the 89th percentile, meaning roughly nine in ten primary schools across England achieve higher on this measure. However, the raw scores tell a more nuanced story. In reading, 65% of pupils reached the expected standard and the average scaled score was 103 — both respectable figures. Writing was stronger still, with 69% meeting expectations. Maths was the weak spot: only 50% hit the expected standard, and just 12% reached the higher standard. So while the combined figure drags the headline down, the school’s performance is uneven rather than uniformly low.

Academically, Ash Croft has improved significantly since its last Ofsted inspection. In 2018, the school was rated Requires Improvement across the board, with an overall effectiveness score of 3. By its most recent graded inspection in September 2022, every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — had been upgraded to Good. That’s a clear upward trajectory. The Progress 8 measure is not available for this primary, so we can’t directly compare pupil progress against the LA average, but the raw KS2 scores offer some context. Reading and writing are the stronger subjects, while maths is an area where the school is clearly working to catch up. With 45.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals — well above the national average — the school is serving a relatively disadvantaged cohort, which makes the Good Ofsted rating and the progress in reading and writing all the more notable.

Ash Croft is a smaller-than-average primary with 217 pupils against a capacity of 280, and it offers nursery provision for children from age two. The school is oversubscribed for Reception places in 2025/26: 32 applications for 16 places, with all 16 first-preference families offered a spot. That suggests strong local demand despite the middling headline results. Facilities include a sports hall, gymnasium, library, ICT suite, sensory room and even a chapel — unusual for a state primary. Sports provision is broad, covering gymnastics, cross country, cricket, football, netball, dance and swimming, and there’s a good range of clubs from gardening and chess to coding and eco club. The school’s SEND register covers moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication issues, plus hearing and visual impairments. For families who value a supportive, well-resourced environment and are comfortable with a school that’s still improving its core academic outcomes, Ash Croft is a solid local option.

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