Derwent Vale Primary and Nursery School

About Derwent Vale Primary and Nursery School

Derwent Vale Primary and Nursery School has a remarkably strong parent endorsement, with 94% of respondents in the most recent Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school. That figure comes from 36 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, and it is backed by consistently high scores across individual questions: 78% strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and the same proportion strongly agreed that their child does well there. On safety, 78% strongly agreed that their child feels safe, and 81% strongly agreed that there is a good range of subjects available. The school is not oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, with exactly 11 applications for 11 places and all first-preference offers accepted, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.0. That suggests a settled local intake rather than a scramble for places, and the small size of the school — just 87 pupils against a capacity of 139 — means class sizes are likely to be very manageable.

Academically, Derwent Vale performs above the local authority average at Key Stage 2. In the 2023/24 results, 65% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Cumberland average of 54%. The school ranks 31st out of 111 primary schools in the local authority, placing it in the top 50% nationally at the 44th percentile. In individual subjects, 76% met the expected standard in maths and the same proportion in writing, while reading sat at 65%. At the higher standard, 41% of pupils achieved greater depth in writing, 29% in reading and 18% in maths. Average scaled scores were 103 in reading and 102 in maths. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in April 2025, confirmed that standards are being maintained, and the previous graded inspection in November 2014 rated overall effectiveness as Good across the board, including leadership and management and early years provision.

The school offers a nursery provision for children from age three and caters for a mixed cohort up to Year 6. Facilities include a gymnasium, sports hall, ICT suite, music rooms, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports on offer include tennis, gymnastics, cross country, swimming, netball and football, and there is a range of clubs such as science club, coding, drama, book club, eco club and choir. For SEND, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 40.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage, yet the parent survey and academic results suggest it is holding up well. This is a small, community-focused primary where families who value a close-knit setting and strong parental satisfaction will feel at home.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Derwent Vale Primary and Nursery School

Helpful Guides for Parents