Akaal Primary School
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Akaal Primary School is a free school in Derby for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 213 pupils and room for 420. About 26 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 12 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 7% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was requires improvement, back in 2022.
Grange Avenue, Derby, DE23 8DGMs Zoe Parkes headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 1 March 2022, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Requires improvement overall.
This inspection is more than 4 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
39 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024† | 2023† | Derby | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 39 | 39 | 33 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 69% | 64% | 12% | 58% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 8% | 5% | 0% | 7% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 105.0 | 103.0 | 99.0 | 104.2 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 106.0 | 104.0 | 99.0 | 103.5 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 109.0 | 106.0 | 99.0 | 104.4 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 74% | 64% | 42% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 77% | 72% | 48% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 74% | 67% | 12% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -5.1 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -5.3 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 43% | 47% | 0% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 84% | 77% | 16% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
† These results are for Akaal Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2023. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 4 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published. As a Sikh school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
215 places were empty (51% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Derby council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 24.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.8 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (20), language and communications needs (10), Autistic spectrum disorder (5), emotional and mental health (3), Specific learning difficulty (2), Hearing impairment (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 213 | 207 | 224 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 26% | 33% | 34% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 83% | 73% | 71% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 16% | 14% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 1% | 1% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.8% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23† | 2021/22† | 2020/21† | 2018/19† | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 6.2% | 6.9% | 8.7% | 5.8% | 3.6% | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.6% | 4.0% | 4.2% | 4.4% | 2.9% | 3.1% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 2.6% | 2.9% | 4.5% | 1.4% | 0.7% | 1.1% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 17.9% | 26.8% | 32.6% | 20.4% | 9.0% | 9.7% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 5.3 | 1.8 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for Akaal Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2023. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Village Primary Academy | Academy | 470 m | 700 | Good 2022 | 24 | Compare |
| Ridgeway Infant School | Council | 970 m | 229 | Good 2023 | 15 | Compare |
| Gayton Junior School | Council | 970 m | 359 | Good 2023 | 77 | Compare |
| St George's Catholic Voluntary Academy | Academy | 990 m | 341 | Outstanding 2024 | 95 | Compare |
| Pear Tree Infant School | Council | 0.8 miles | 266 | Good 2022 | 3 | Compare |
| Pear Tree Community Junior School | Academy | 0.8 miles | 355 | Good 2021 | 5 | Compare |
| Dale Community Primary School | Council | 0.8 miles | 545 | Good 2023 | 13 | Compare |
| Cottons Farm Primary Academy | Academy | 0.8 miles | 133 | No overall grade 2025 | 19 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Akaal Primary School with the 45 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 45 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 12 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 12% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 5 to 28. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | in line | +0.04 | 2025 results; 39 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 16% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | well below | -0.55 | Ofsted grade, 4.5 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | -0.03 | Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 39 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | below | -0.07 | 2024/25; 196 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | in line | -0.01 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 39 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Akaal Primary School a good school?
The figures are weak. Akaal Primary School scores 12 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 7% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 5 to 28, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Akaal Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Akaal Primary School requires improvement at its last full inspection on 1 March 2022. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.
How good are Akaal Primary School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 69% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 8% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Akaal Primary School have?
213 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 420 places, so it is 51% full.
Is Akaal Primary School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 215 places were empty in 2024/25 (51% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Akaal Primary School?
Pupils were in school 93.8% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Akaal Primary School?
The average class had 26.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 13% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Grange Avenue, Derby, DE23 8DG
- Headteacher
- Ms Zoe Parkes
- Type of school
- Free school (Free schools, free schools)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Sikh
- Multi-academy trust
- Nishkam Schools Multi Academy Trust (6 schools)
- Local authority
- Derby
- Ward
- Normanton
- Constituency
- Derby South
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 December 2023 (change in status)
- URN
- 150481 · LAESTAB 8312029 · UKPRN 10094334
- Formerly
- Akaal Primary School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.