St Alban's Catholic Voluntary Academy

About St Alban's Catholic Voluntary Academy

St Alban's Catholic Voluntary Academy is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary in Derby that is currently oversubscribed, a clear signal of its local popularity. With 332 pupils on roll against a capacity of 315, the school is running slightly above its official limit, and for the 2025/26 intake it received 68 applications for just 42 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.62. Of those, 39 were first-preference applications, and all 39 received offers. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 15.1%, which is below the national primary average of around 23% and suggests a relatively less disadvantaged intake than many schools nationally. The school serves children aged 3 to 11, with nursery provision available, and is led by headteacher Tammie McNamara. Its religious character as a Roman Catholic school will appeal to families seeking a faith-based education, though the oversubscription figures indicate demand extends well beyond the immediate Catholic community.

Academically, St Alban's performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Derby LA average of just 55%. This places the school 17th out of 58 primary schools in the city, putting it in the top third locally. The school's ranking score of 67 also lands it in the top 50% nationally, at the 40th percentile. Subject-level results are strong: 91% met the expected standard in maths and 89% in reading, with average scaled scores of 108 in both subjects. Higher-standard attainment is more mixed — 51% reached the higher standard in reading, but only 16% in writing and 11% across all three subjects. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2023, the school was rated Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. This marks a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2013, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including art studios, music rooms, a library, an ICT suite and a chapel. Sports provision covers rounders, dance, football, cross country, cricket, tennis and swimming, while extracurricular clubs include chess, choir and art club. For families with children who have additional needs, St Alban's has identified support for a broad spectrum of SEND, including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language difficulties, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school is not a boarding school and has no sixth form, as it is primary-only. Given its oversubscribed status, families should be prepared to apply early and likely need to demonstrate a connection to the Catholic faith to secure a place. For those seeking a high-performing faith school in Derby with strong KS2 outcomes and a clear improvement trajectory, St Alban's is a compelling option.

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