Poolsbrook Primary Academy

About Poolsbrook Primary Academy

Poolsbrook Primary Academy has turned a corner academically. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Good across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This marks a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2019, when the school was rated Inadequate overall, with leadership and management also graded Inadequate. The turnaround under headteacher Chris Stewart is reflected in the school’s Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year. While no pupils reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, 57% met the expected standard in all three subjects. That figure is very close to the Derbyshire local authority average of 59%, placing Poolsbrook 13th out of 25 primary schools in Chesterfield and in the 63rd percentile nationally — a solid, middle-of-the-road performance for a small school.

Digging into the individual subjects, reading and writing are relative strengths. 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, and 71% did so in writing, both comfortably above the combined measure. Maths is a little weaker, with 57% at expected and only 7% reaching the higher standard, though the average maths score of 102 is in line with national expectations. The school’s overall ranking score of 57 places it in the bottom 50% nationally, but within the East Midlands it sits in the 59th percentile, suggesting it performs broadly in line with regional peers. With only 68 pupils on roll and a capacity of 90, Poolsbrook is a genuinely small school. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is high at 58.8%, which adds context to the academic results — the school is serving a community with significant disadvantage, making its Good Ofsted rating and near-average SATs outcomes a meaningful achievement.

The school offers a strong set of facilities for its size, including a sensory room, forest school area, sports hall, gymnasium and ICT suite. There are clubs in coding, choir and art, and a range of sports from athletics to swimming and netball. SEND provision is well-developed, covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Admissions for the 2025/26 year show the school is oversubscribed: 10 applications for 4 places, with all 4 first-preference applicants offered a place. The oversubscription ratio of 2.5 to 1 suggests strong local demand. With nursery provision on site, this is a school that suits families looking for a small, inclusive primary with a clear upward trajectory, particularly those who value specialist SEND support and outdoor learning through the forest school.

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