Cottons Farm Primary Academy
About Cottons Farm Primary Academy
Cottons Farm Primary Academy in Derby has undergone a significant turnaround, moving from a Requires Improvement rating in early 2023 to a Good rating across all areas in its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2025. The school, led by headteacher Kirsty Patmore, now holds Good grades for Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, Leadership and Management, and Early Years Provision. However, the academic outcomes story is more nuanced. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, just 33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. This is well below the Derby local authority average of 55% and places the school 56th out of 58 primary schools in the area, putting it in the bottom 50 nationally. The data suggests the school is still in the early stages of its improvement journey, with the Ofsted upgrade reflecting stronger leadership and teaching quality that may take time to fully translate into exam results.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Jul 2025From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.
Source: Ofsted, 17 Sept 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Cottons Farm Primary Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights