Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School, Alfreton

Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~765m)Possible (~1.1km)Unlikely (~1.4km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Gill Gardner
Pupils:122 / 168 capacity
LA:Derbyshire
Phone:01773811281
Address:Primrose Hill, Blackwell, Alfreton, DE55 5JG
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 20 January 2026View full report
URN:112506
UKPRN:10074314
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Bolsover
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School creates a happy, safe environment where all children thrive. Staff know pupils well, have high expectations, and provide strong support to help every child make good progress, including those who need extra help. The school offers wonderful enrichment opportunities through visits, trips, and activities that inspire children and broaden their experiences.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils achieve well from their starting points, with national test outcomes in line with national averages and above-average phonics screening results
  • Strong behaviour and attendance management with a calm, purposeful learning environment where pupils show respect and positive attitudes
  • Inclusive culture with high expectations for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs
  • Skilled teaching with clear explanations and effective modelling that helps pupils make steady progress across a broad curriculum
  • Excellent personal development opportunities including museum visits, residential trips, outdoor learning, and the Blackwell Charter enrichment programme

Areas for Improvement

  • Staff do not always correct pupils when they inaccurately use phonics knowledge, which slows reading fluency for some pupils
  • Handwriting policy is not implemented consistently, meaning some pupils do not form letters accurately and struggle with writing fluency
  • Some pupils do not engage as effectively as they could in class discussions and do not readily share their ideas or answers

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Museum visits, residential trips, outdoor learning, bicycle safety training, book monitors, play leaders, clarinet, djembe drums, school parliament, visit to Rolls-Royce

Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School provides a happy and safe learning environment where pupils value their education and enjoy learning. The school lives out its motto of 'unlocking potential, providing opportunities, achieving goals' through a broad, balanced curriculum and strong inclusive culture.

At a Glance

46.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
ReadingMaths+12ppWriting

Reading has remained stable at around 75%. Maths has improved from 63% to 75%. Writing has remained stable at around 75%.

Class Sizes

27.5

Avg class size

26.0

Infant (KS1)

29.0

KS2

4

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Primrose Hill (NW-bound)
109m · 2 min walk
The Cottage Inn (W-bound)
145m · 2 min walk
Gloves Lane (Adj)
167m · 3 min walk
180 Alfreton Road (Adj)
190m · 3 min walk
Central Drive (N-bound)
299m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

73%

Available places

122 pupils

168 capacity

46 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Alfreton

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,349
Projected new pupils:337

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Alfreton

Admissions Demand - Derbyshire

Low demand0.73x oversubscription

Places available

9,886

Applications

7,225

Got 1st preference

96.4%

Got preferred school

99.2%

Primary admissions across Derbyshire (2025/26)

Inspection History(11)

20 January 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
15 July 2021
6 July 2016
Leadership & ManagementGood

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SEN Provision

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.3639%

Overall absence

11.70213%

Persistent absence

94

Enrolments

Authorised3.26643%
Unauthorised1.09747%
Persistent (10%+)11.70213%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

4.01867%
18/19
2.57041%
20/21
6.36527%
21/22
5.13483%
22/23
4.7275%
23/24
4.3639%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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