‘Joyful’ Walter Evans Church of England Aided Primary School celebrates good report

A Derby school has been described as aspirational and joyful by Government inspectors who found that pupils thrive, achieving well socially, academically and personally.

Walter Evans Church of England Aided Primary School, in Darley Abbey, was judged to have remained ‘good’ during an ungraded inspection from the Office for Standards in Education.

In their report, inspectors stated that their evidence suggested the grade might be outstanding if a full inspection had been carried out and they praised staff for having high expectations for pupils.

They found the 450 children on the school roll are courteous and respectful of each other and staff, while curriculum planning is ambitious and well-sequenced.

The school has a culture in which reading is prioritised and is highly effective, while mathematics was described as ‘a real strength’.

Children with special educational needs (SEND) and disabilities achieve the best possible outcomes and in the majority of cases access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

The school, which is part of the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust, had not been inspected since before the pandemic when it was also found to be good.

Head teacher David Brown said: “We are delighted that the inspectors recognised the strengths of our school. Expectations are high and inspectors found our pupils have positive attitudes to learning and talk about it with enthusiasm.

“The report highlighted several key strengths, including our highly effective phonics programme, the positive learning environment we foster, and the excellent progress our students are making.

“We look forward to welcoming them back for a full inspection.”

The inspection also found that safeguarding was effective with pupils feeling safe, knowing they have trusted adults that they can talk to.

Leadership was found to be ambitious and staff feel well-supported with their workload and their well-being.

Dr Sarah Clark, CEO of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust said: “This is a wonderful inspection report and everyone involved should be very proud.

“Our staff’s relentless focus on providing high-quality education, our students’ enthusiasm and dedication to learning and the unwavering support from our parents and guardians have all contributed to this success.

“We remain committed to maintaining these high standards and continuing to strive for excellence in every school across our Trust.”