Cottons Farm Primary Academy, Derby
Cottons Farm Primary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Derby, part of The Harmony Trust Ltd. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 74th-highest of the 86 schools in Derby with published results, and 13,208th of 14,452 across England. It was 91% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Derby (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Cottons Farm Primary Academy in detail
Cottons Farm Primary Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Cottons Farm Primary Academy is a community primary school for children aged three to eleven. We are part of a multi-academy trust The Harmony Trust. We are proud to serve a diverse community and believe that one of our greatest strengths is our inclusive culture."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils at Cottons Farm Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 53% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 70% in Derby and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 61% in reading and 44% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Cottons Farm Primary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 4 families put Cottons Farm Primary Academy as their first choice and 14 named it as one of their preferences, for 5 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Cottons Farm Primary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Cottons Farm Primary Academy are Redwood Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 85% reading, 93% maths); Grampian Primary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 80% reading, 70% maths); Akaal Primary School (0.8 miles, 74% reading, 77% maths); and Ash Croft Primary Academy (0.9 miles, Good, 56% reading, 63% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Cottons Farm Primary Academy.
Redwood Primary SchoolGrampian Primary AcademyAkaal Primary SchoolAsh Croft Primary Academy
The trust
Cottons Farm Primary Academy is one of 17 schools run by The Harmony Trust Ltd, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 52% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
64.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 61.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (25%), Asian (20%) and Mixed (14%).
In 2026, 22 pupils (16.5%) received SEN support and 9 (6.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Cottons Farm Primary Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and social, emotional and mental health needs: 12 places, 12 pupils on roll.
Staffing
Cottons Farm Primary Academy had 10 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Peartree Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Wordsworth Avenue (adjacent), 200 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Cottons Farm Primary Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Cottons Farm Primary Academy issued 2 suspensions, 1.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Cottons Farm Primary Academy are City of Derby Academy (0.8 miles) and Derby Moor Spencer Academy (1.5 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Cottons Farm is an inclusive haven where your child will feel genuinely known and cared for. The school excels at developing confident readers and speakers, particularly supporting children learning English as an additional language. Your family will be welcomed into a vibrant, respectful community that celebrates diverse cultures and faiths.
Key Strengths
- Excellent behaviour and a positive culture of care and respect throughout the school
- Strong teaching of reading with well-trained staff and phonics taught consistently
- Outstanding community engagement with parents and carers welcomed and involved in their child's education
- Ambitious curriculum that opens pupils to a world of opportunity through the Harmony Pledge
- Improved attendance with pupils arriving promptly and settling to learning without disruption
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects lack consistent curriculum planning and teaching quality, with gaps in learning checks not fully addressed before moving to new topics
- Provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities needs further development to ensure they can access the full curriculum and achieve at expected levels
- Further vocabulary sequencing and learning checks needed in a few subjects to embed consistency
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Global Schools Day, Harmony Pledge opportunities to follow interests and develop talents, visitors sharing expertise
Cottons Farm Primary Academy is a culturally rich and diverse school that has improved markedly since its previous inspection. It provides a calm, purposeful learning environment where pupils feel happy, safe and ready to learn.
At a Glance
64.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Speech and language, SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 63% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 44% to 53% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 61% to 68% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
21.0
Avg class size
17.0
Infant (KS1)
24.3
KS2
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Cottons Farm Primary Academy
Before and after school care
Cottons Farm Primary Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Derby
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Cottons Farm Primary Academy.
- Y-Kidz@Redwood Primary660m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Cottons Farm Primary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Cottons Farm Primary Academy is in Derby; for families living there:
Apply to Derby for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 35
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 35 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 30 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Derby is 24 (the median across 119 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Cottons Farm Primary Academy
Will you get a place at Cottons Farm Primary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Cottons Farm Primary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Cottons Farm Primary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Cottons Farm Primary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Derby, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Cottons Farm Primary Academy for 2019 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Derby got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
91%
Near capacity
128 pupils
140 places
12 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Derby
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Derby
Across Derby council
Places available
3,564
Applications
2,643
Got 1st preference
94.4%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Derby council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
22
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
23.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Cottons Farm Primary Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and social, emotional and mental health needs: 12 places, 12 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
133
Total Pupils
65
Boys
68
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
13.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,243
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,639
Per pupil
£995k
Total funding
£102k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
18.4%
Persistent absence
125
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Cottons Farm Primary Academy
Questions parents ask about Cottons Farm Primary Academy
What are SATs results like at Cottons Farm Primary Academy?
Of the pupils at Cottons Farm Primary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 63% reached the expected standard in reading and 53% did so in maths.
What is Cottons Farm Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Cottons Farm Primary Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Cottons Farm Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Cottons Farm Primary Academy is oversubscribed, Derby allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Cottons Farm Primary Academy?
Cottons Farm Primary Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 91% of its 140 places.
How big are the classes at Cottons Farm Primary Academy?
Classes at Cottons Farm Primary Academy average 21 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Cottons Farm Primary Academy?
Cottons Farm Primary Academy has around 133 pupils on roll. 65% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Cottons Farm Primary Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Cottons Farm Primary Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and social, emotional and mental health needs: 12 places, 12 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Cottons Farm Primary Academy?
6.1% of sessions were missed at Cottons Farm Primary Academy in 2024/25. 18.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Cottons Farm Primary Academy?
Apply through Derby's coordinated admissions process, naming Cottons Farm Primary Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Cottons Farm Primary Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Cottons Farm Primary Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Cottons Farm Primary Academy: Y-Kidz@Redwood Primary (660m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Cottons Farm Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 35 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 30 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Derby is 24 (the median across 119 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cottons Farm Primary Academy?
Cottons Farm Primary Academy is at Sheridan Street, Sinfin, Derby, Derbyshire, DE24 9HG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)