As primary school pupils across Derbyshire are set to receive their long-awaited exam results today (Thursday, July 16) we have created a ranking of top performing Derbyshire primary schools, based on the latest Department of Education data.
The data includes Key Stage 2 performance data, based on pupils’ SAT results in the 2024/25 school year – as the 2025/26 results for individual schools are set to be released by the Department of Education later in the year.
We have ranked the schools based on the proportion of students achieving at a ‘higher standard’ in the 2024/25 school year.
Pupils achieve at the higher standard if they achieve a scaled score of 110 or more in their reading and maths tests, and their teacher assesses them as ‘working at a greater depth within the expected standard’ in writing.
On average, only 8% of pupils achieved at a higher standard both across Derbyshire schools and at the national level.
We also included the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards for each school as well as their most recent Ofsted inspection results.
Schools which had less than 10 pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 are not included in the ranking. This is because schools with fewer than 10 pupils in Y6 are not required to publish their SAT results.
The league table does not include schools located in Derby.
1. 12 best performing Derbyshire primary schools
These Derbyshire primary schools achieved outstanding results at SATs last year. Photo: Google
2. Morley Primary School
Morley Primary School in Morley, near Ilkeston saw 38% of pupils achieve at a higher standard in 2024/2025 academic year - best result in Derbyshire. 92% of pupils met expected standards for reading, writing and maths in their latest SAT exams. Pupils achieved an average score of 112 in reading and 111 in maths. The school, which had 13 pupils at the end of key stage 2 last year, was visited by Ofsted in January 2026 and rated according to the new framework. Inspectors rated Attendance and behaviour as achieving "strong standard". The following categories were rated as "expected standard": Achievement, Curriculum and teaching, Early years, Inclusion, Leadership and governance as well as Personal development and wellbeing. Photo: Google
3. Kirkstead Junior Academy
Kirkstead Junior Academy in Pinxton had 42 pupils at the end of key stage 2 with 36% achieving at a higher standard - second best result in the county. 93% met expected standards for reading, writing and maths in 2025. Pupils achieved an average score of 111 both in reading and in maths. The school was rated 'good' by Ofsted in June 2022 with leadership and management highlighted as 'outstanding'. Photo: Google
4. Ashover Primary School
Ashover Primary School, located at Narrowleys Lane in Ashover, saw 30% of its pupils achieve at a higher standard in the 2024/2025 school year. 79% met expected standards for reading, writing and maths in 2025. The school had 33 pupils at the end of key stage 2. Pupils achieved an average score of 109 in reading and 107 in maths. The school was rated 'good' by Ofsted in May 2022. Photo: Google