Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School, Alfreton

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders take appropriate action to promote attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The school's curriculum is broad and balanced."

Early years - Expected standard. "Staff work closely with parents and carers to help children get off to a positive start and develop a love of learning."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, pupils who are disadvantaged and pupils who are in care."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders know their school well."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders use their understanding of the school's context to plan a well‑considered programme for pupils' personal development and wellbeing."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that staff routinely correct pupils' errors when they use their phonics knowledge to sound out words, so that pupils learn accurate strategies and develop greater reading fluency. • Leaders should ensure that the school's handwriting policy is implemented consistently, so that pupils form letters accurately and write with increasing fluency. • Leaders should ensure that staff use a wider range of strategies to involve all pupils in class discussions, so that pupils engage more fully in their learning".

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in Derbyshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 75% in reading and 63% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 18 families put Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School as their first choice and 29 named it as one of their preferences, for 19 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School are Westhouses Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 67% reading, 75% maths); Newton Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 76% reading, 71% maths); The Green Flying High Academy (1 mile, Inadequate); and Town End Junior School (1.1 miles, Good, 72% reading, 77% maths).

Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.

18 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School (as of April 2026): 89% would recommend the school, 83% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (78%).

45.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (88%) and Mixed (6%).

The nearest railway station is Alfreton Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primrose Hill (nw-bound), 110 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 17 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50).

Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School are Tibshelf Community School (1.3 miles) and Frederick Gent School (1.7 miles).