School focus: Derbyshire primary named ‘oasis’ for children celebrates national award and ‘fabulous’ Ofsted report

Duckmanton Primary has been rightly named by its leaders as an ‘oasis’ for children as the school has been recently reaccredited with the Unicef Gold Award Rights Respecting School Status.

The award recognises the school’s achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice within the school and beyond.

In the report accompanying the award, inspectors said that ‘being a pupil at Duckmanton means that access to all your rights is prioritised’ and ‘the children continue to have a very strong voice in all aspects of school life.’

Duckmanton Primary is one of only three schools in Derbyshire that have achieved the Gold Award.

Emma Levers, who has joined Duckmanton Primary in 2023 as the new headteacher, said: “It has been a real privilege getting to know the staff, children and families of Duckmanton.

“I am very lucky to have joined a school which has achieved good outcomes for many years, recently reflected again in its fabulous Ofsted inspection report. It is testament to the staff that they have achieved this, especially given the challenging nature of inspections.”

The Ofsted report published in January has rated personal development, behaviour and attitudes of Duckmanton pupils as ‘Outstanding’ while the overall grade of the school continues to be ‘good’ for the impressive thirteenth year in a row.

Inspectors labelled the school as a ‘caring’ and ‘happy’ place where leaders have ‘high expectations and want pupils to achieve well and become well rounded citizens’.

The school’s ‘3 Rs’ – remember manners, respond quickly to instructions and respect everyone and everything - are central to life in Duckmanton Primary.

Pupils are keen to receive the school’s coveted rewards for making good choices, such as the ‘truly trusted’ badge.

The report has found that pupils enjoy opportunities to experience wide-ranging responsibility and leadership roles, including being mini-leaders, animal monitors or being on the school council.

Parents and carers are extremely positive about the education their children receive and one of the parents said that their child is in safe hands of ‘experienced staff who also have gentle and kind hearts.’

A member of support staff added that a strength of the school is ‘the way in which children welcome and accept any others with additional needs’ while ‘empathy and nurture are demonstrated by children of all ages.’

Ofsted inspectors praised the school staff for understanding pupils and their individual needs. Pupils are ‘respectful, well-mannered and polite’. They behave with ‘maturity and integrity’ and ‘show genuine respect and support for one another’.

Pupils have praised the staff as well as they told the inspectors that their teachers are ‘supportive, kind and encouraging.’

The primary which currently has 184 pupils on the school roll has extended the nursery provision and is now offering 30 hours of free child places in the hope to educate more Duckamnton children about their rights and responsibilities.

The headteacher Emma Leavers added: “We hope to continue to raise the aspirations of the children and support them to have a successful future.”