Three Trees Infant Academy

About Three Trees Infant Academy

Three Trees Infant Academy in South Derbyshire is a state primary for children aged five to seven, currently educating 214 pupils against a capacity of 270. That leaves around 56 spare places, but the school is nonetheless oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 82 applications for 66 total places, with 58 of those coming as first preferences. The oversubscription ratio sits at 1.24, meaning demand outstrips supply by roughly a quarter. The pupil body is notably disadvantaged — 46.3% of children are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average and a significant marker of the community the school serves. This is a school that draws from a local area with considerable socioeconomic need, and the fact that families are still applying in numbers suggests it remains a key local option despite its recent inspection rating.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2022, graded it Inadequate overall, with the same rating for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. Early years provision and personal development were both rated Requires improvement. This marks a steep decline from its previous inspection in 2008, when it was judged Outstanding across the board. No Key Stage 2 results are available for this infant-only school, so direct academic comparison with the Derbyshire local authority average of 59% achieving the expected standard is not possible. However, the Ofsted report notes serious concerns about behaviour and leadership, which parents will want to weigh carefully. The school is one of 353 primary schools in the LA, and only nine of those hold an Outstanding rating, so the local context is competitive.

Facilities include a forest school, sensory room, sports hall, and ICT suite, alongside clubs such as coding, eco club, and science club. The school offers targeted SEND support for moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, and autistic spectrum disorder. With no nursery or sixth form, it is a straightforward infant school feeding into a junior or primary phase elsewhere. Given the high FSM intake and oversubscription, this is a school that serves a local community with limited alternatives, but the Inadequate rating means parents should investigate the school’s improvement plan and recent progress reports closely before applying. It may suit families who value the on-site facilities and specialist SEND provision, but who are prepared to monitor standards closely.

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