Findern Primary School

About Findern Primary School

Findern Primary School sits in the top 10% of primary schools nationally for the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, with 84% hitting that benchmark. That figure is a significant 25 percentage points above the Derbyshire local authority average of 59%, placing the school well ahead of the typical state primary in the area. The school also ranks 5th out of 30 primary schools in South Derbyshire on this same metric, and 75th out of 1,353 in the East Midlands region. For a relatively small village primary with 207 pupils, these headline results suggest a consistently strong academic offering that outperforms most of its immediate neighbours.

Digging into the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, the school’s strengths are spread across the core subjects. In reading, 88% of pupils met the expected standard and 47% achieved the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 108. In maths, 91% reached the expected level and 28% hit the higher mark, with an average score of 107. Writing saw 88% at expected and 25% at greater depth. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024 rated overall effectiveness as Good, with behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and quality of education all judged Good. The early years provision and personal development both received Outstanding grades, a notable improvement from the previous 2015 inspection where early years was rated Requires Improvement. This suggests a school that has strengthened its foundations significantly over the past decade.

The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 84 applications for 30 places and 27 first-preference offers made from 31 first-preference applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.8. Facilities include a forest school, sensory room, music rooms, ICT suite, sports hall, gymnasium, library and chapel, with clubs ranging from gardening and coding to drama and science club. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and specific learning difficulties like dyslexia. With nursery provision from age three and a mixed, non-religious character, Findern suits families looking for a high-performing village primary that combines strong academic outcomes with a broad enrichment offer and well-rated pastoral care.

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