School Chooser

Cavendish Close Junior Academy

Primary · ages 7-11MixedAcademy288 pupils Free breakfast clubDerby
School Chooser Score
39
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 24 to 58
Out of 100. Better than 74% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, June 2026
Reached the expected level at 1166%England 63%
Attendance96.4%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families38%Far more than most schools
Places72 spare288 pupils, 360 places
Pupils per teacher20.2School workforce census

Cavendish Close Junior Academy is a sponsored academy in Derby for boys and girls aged 7 to 11. It has 288 pupils and room for 360. About 38 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 39 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 74% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in June 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Deborah Drive, Chaddesden, Derby, DE21 4RJ01332 672338cavendish.theharmonytrust.orgMrs Michelle Tague headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 23 June 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
As expected
Achievement
As expected
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
18 January 2022Academy First Section 5Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

77 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1166%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level4%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score105.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 38%38%20172018: 41%41%20182019: 65%65%20192023: 50%50%20232024: 56%56%20242025: 66%66%2025
Since 2017: +28%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†DerbyEngland
Pupils tested779070869073
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths66%56%50%65%41%38%58%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths4%2%3%5%4%4%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score105.0103.0103.0103.0102.0101.0104.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0102.0103.0102.0101.099.0103.5104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0103.0102.0103.0103.0102.0104.4105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard79%68%67%72%57%56%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard78%68%67%74%56%44%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)73%72%70%72%57%70%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.2-1.8-2.8-2.9
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.7-2.4-2.4-5.6
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged50%49%46%50%33%32%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged76%60%52%72%48%42%

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 Cavendish Close Junior Academy, the school this one replaced in September 2017. 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. 1 of the 4 gaps is 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

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
50%76%
Gap 26 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
53%82%
Gap 29 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
71%66%
Gap 5 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
4%4%
No gapEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

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.

Plenty of spare places303 pupils for 360 places, 2024/25
84% full

57 places were empty (16% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

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.

Pupils on roll288Census January 2026
Places36080% full
Pupils from low-income families38%38% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English9%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support24%69 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan10%28 pupils with a plan
Average class size24.012 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils8%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)36%£159,650 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls143 / 145
White British pupils86%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (42), Autistic spectrum disorder (31), language and communications needs (17), Moderate learning difficulty (4), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll288300323314309313
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals38%34%33%34%36%33%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language9%9%10%9%7%7%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support21%22%22%23%24%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans7%6%5%4%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.4% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.4%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school5.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.72024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.3%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.7%4.2%4.6%7.0%4.5%4.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.4%2.7%3.2%5.4%3.2%3.1%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.3%1.4%1.4%1.7%1.3%1.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence5.2%8.5%8.6%24.1%10.4%9.1%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.70.61.60.30.6
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers14.2full-time equivalent, 15 people
Pupils per teacher20.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers87%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants12.9full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,069
Teachers who left in the year12%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.32024/25

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.

Spend per pupil£7,767England £7,128. Total £2.3m
Income per pupil£7,703England £7,587. Total £2.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,127England £3,405
Money in reserve-10%In the red: -£221k, -£736 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out-£19kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,767spent per pupil

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

Crimes within 500 m17812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate80 per 1,000 people12% lower than the England average
Nearest bus stop140 mBrookfield Avenue, 12 stops within 500 m

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.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Cavendish Close Infant SchoolCouncil150 m287Good 202242Compare
Chaddesden Park Primary SchoolAcademy650 m207Report card 202615Compare
St Alban's Catholic Voluntary AcademyAcademy0.6 miles321Good 202358Compare
Parkview Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles218Report card 202659Compare
Cherry Tree Hill Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles605Good 202327Compare
Roe Farm Primary SchoolCouncil0.9 miles347Good 20247Compare
Breadsall Hill Top Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles418Report card 20265Compare
Springfield Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles324Good 202352Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Cavendish Close Junior Academy with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats74%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 39 is 12 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 27 · highest 84100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Cavendish Close Junior Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Springfield Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles324Good 202352Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 39 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 39% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 24 to 58. 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 atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.11
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 77 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%below
-0.12
Ofsted report card, 0.2 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.13
DfE progress measure; 77 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.14
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.10
2024/25; 308 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.01
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 77 pupils
What parents say0%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 Cavendish Close Junior Academy a good school?

It is about average. Cavendish Close Junior Academy scores 39 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 74% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 24 to 58, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is Cavendish Close Junior Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 23 June 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as as expected.

How good are Cavendish Close Junior Academy's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 66% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Cavendish Close Junior Academy have?

288 pupils aged 7 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 360 places, so it is 80% full.

Is Cavendish Close Junior Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 57 places were empty in 2024/25 (16% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Cavendish Close Junior Academy?

Pupils were in school 96.4% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 5% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Cavendish Close Junior Academy?

The average class had 24.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 8% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Cavendish Close Junior Academy have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Deborah Drive, Chaddesden, Derby, DE21 4RJ
Telephone
01332 672338
Website
www.cavendish.theharmonytrust.org
Headteacher
Mrs Michelle Tague
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 7-11
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
The Harmony Trust Ltd (17 schools)
Local authority
Derby
Ward
Oakwood
Constituency
Derby North
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2017 (new provision)
URN
144822 · LAESTAB 8312019 · UKPRN 10064852
Formerly
Cavendish Close Junior Academy

Where these figures come from