Ladycross Infant School

About Ladycross Infant School

Of the 53 parents who responded to Ofsted's Parent View survey between September 2024 and September 2025, 64% said they would recommend Ladycross Infant School to other parents. That's a solid majority, though it leaves more than a third who wouldn't. The school is clearly popular enough to be oversubscribed: for its 37 Reception places in the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 57 applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.54. All 36 first-preference applicants were offered a place, so if you live nearby and put it first, your chances look good. The parent survey reveals a mixed picture. On the positive side, 87% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 80% felt their child does well. But only 74% agreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and 28% disagreed or strongly disagreed that the school has high expectations for their child. Behaviour is a particular sticking point: just 74% felt the school ensures good behaviour, and 47% disagreed that bullying is handled quickly.

Ladycross's most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, rated the school Requires Improvement overall, the same grade it received in its previous inspection in May 2022. The breakdown shows some progress: early years provision and personal development both improved from Requires Improvement to Good, while behaviour and attitudes slipped from Good to Requires Improvement. Quality of education and leadership and management both remain Requires Improvement. The school serves a community with above-average disadvantage: 35.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with the national primary average of around 23%. In terms of academic outcomes, the school's Key Stage 2 results are not available in the data, but the Derbyshire local authority average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths is 59%. Ladycross is an infant school only, taking children from age 3 to 7, so pupils move on to a junior school before sitting SATs.

The school offers a decent range of facilities for a primary, including a sports hall, library, music rooms, playing fields and a chapel. Sports on offer include tennis, swimming, cricket, netball, cross country and football, and there are clubs such as chess, eco club, science club, choir, gardening and film club. The school has a nursery provision for three-year-olds. For children with special educational needs, Ladycross lists support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. However, the Parent View data on SEND support is concerning: of the 15 parents who answered the SEND question, 73% strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, but 20% strongly disagreed, and no one simply agreed. That's a sharp divide. This school would suit families in the Erewash area who value a local, oversubscribed infant school with good early years provision and a wide range of activities, but who are aware that Ofsted has flagged behaviour and leadership as areas needing improvement.

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