Village Primary Academy

About Village Primary Academy

Village Primary Academy is a large state primary in Derby, serving 695 pupils from age 2 to 11. In the local authority’s ranking of 58 primary schools, it sits at 23rd place, placing it comfortably in the top half of Derby primaries. Its nearest Outstanding-rated school is St George’s Catholic Voluntary Academy, 1.4 km away, while the top three peers in the LA by ranking score are Griffe Field Primary School, Gayton Junior School, and St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 107 applications for 75 places, with 71 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.43. That level of demand suggests a solid local reputation, even if it doesn’t reach the very top tier of Derby primaries. Headteacher Emma Luff leads a school where 63% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, and the school’s capacity of 732 means it’s running at about 95% full.

Academically, Village Primary Academy holds a Good Ofsted rating, confirmed in its most recent ungraded inspection in October 2022, which judged that the school remains Good. The previous graded inspection in November 2017 also rated overall effectiveness as Good, with leadership and management, early years provision, and behaviour all rated Good. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 60% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, which is above the Derby LA average of 55%. Reading scores were a particular strength: 69% met the expected standard and 24% achieved a higher standard, with an average scaled score of 104. Maths followed closely at 62% expected and 17% higher, with an average score of 103. Writing saw 71% at expected and 13% at higher. Nationally, the school ranks in the 58th percentile, and within the East Midlands it sits at the 54th percentile, placing it around the middle of the pack nationally but above the local authority norm.

The school offers a broad set of facilities including a gymnasium, sports hall, art studios, music rooms, a forest school area, and a chapel. Sports provision covers cross country, athletics, rounders, gymnastics, and swimming, while clubs include coding, chess, and film club. SEND support is extensive, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, visual impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties. There is nursery provision for children from age 2. Given its above-average KS2 outcomes relative to the LA, strong SEND offer, and oversubscribed status, this school will suit families in Derby looking for a large, inclusive primary with good academic foundations and a wide range of enrichment activities, particularly those who value a forest school and arts facilities.

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