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.

Looking at the individual subject scores, the picture is mixed. In reading, 61% of pupils reached the expected standard and 11% achieved a higher standard, with an average scaled score of 101. Writing also saw 61% meeting expectations, though no pupils reached the higher standard. Maths was weaker, with only 44% at the expected level and an average score of 100, and no pupils achieving the higher standard. The school's Progress 8 scores are not available, so it is difficult to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points. Given that 61.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged community. The Ofsted report noted that the school had previously been graded Requires Improvement across the board in February 2023, so the recent upgrade to Good in all categories represents a clear step forward in leadership and classroom practice.

Cottons Farm Primary Academy is a smaller-than-average school with 119 pupils against a capacity of 140, and it offers nursery provision for children aged three and above. The school was oversubscribed for Reception places in 2025/26, with 19 applications for 9 places and all 9 first-preference applicants receiving offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.11. Facilities include a sports hall, library, dining hall, sensory room, ICT suite and chapel, and the school runs clubs such as book club, gardening, science club and art club. Sports on offer include swimming, dance, athletics, cross country, football, rounders and tennis. The school has dedicated SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech language and communication needs. This is a school that will suit families looking for a community-focused primary that has recently improved its Ofsted rating and is working hard to raise academic outcomes, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is St George's Catholic Voluntary Academy, 1.8 km away.

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