Royal School for the Deaf Derby, Derby
Royal School for the Deaf Derby is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Derby. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Royal School for the Deaf Derby in detail
Royal School for the Deaf Derby in its own words
In its own words: "Rightly proud of our provenance and looking forward to bright futures. Our aspiration is to be the best outstanding provider of deaf education. Our values are our stepping stones to our vision for all deaf children and young people. We offer free Deaf Awareness and British Sign Language tuition to parents and carers and frontline services."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Royal School for the Deaf Derby are Jasmine Hall School (0.4 miles, Good); Aurora Ryefields School (0.6 miles); Maple View School (1.3 miles, Outstanding); and Include - St Matthews (1.3 miles, selective).
Jasmine Hall SchoolAurora Ryefields SchoolMaple View SchoolInclude - St Matthews
What parents say
10 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Royal School for the Deaf Derby (as of April 2026): 80% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 11 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 27% to a further education college.
Who goes there
48% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 78.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (52%), Asian (11%) and Mixed (9%).
Almost every pupil at Royal School for the Deaf Derby has an education, health and care plan (125 of 127 in 2026). The most common need among them is hearing impairment.
Royal School for the Deaf Derby provides for pupils with hearing impairment.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Derby Rail Station, about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sutton Close (opposite), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Royal School for the Deaf Derby stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 562 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Derby (267), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Royal School for the Deaf Derby issued 1 suspension, 0.9 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Royal School for the Deaf Derby creates a truly bilingual learning environment where all pupils - from nursery through to sixth form - develop strong British Sign Language communication skills alongside speech and language support. The school fosters genuine pride in deaf identity and culture, with inspirational deaf and hearing staff who help pupils believe they can achieve anything. Pupils are happy, feel safe, and work hard because staff have high expectations for them and know them well.
Key Strengths
- Strong bilingual approach with British Sign Language and speech and language therapy integrated into all learning
- Excellent relationships between staff and pupils, with exemplary behaviour and a safe, happy environment
- High expectations for all pupils with effective support to help them achieve
- Well-developed reading programme using phonics adapted for deaf learners
- Sixth-form curriculum offers flexible vocational and academic courses tailored to students' future aspirations
Areas for Improvement
- Activities chosen by staff sometimes do not match the curriculum aims, meaning some pupils do not learn as well as they could
- Need to ensure curriculum is implemented consistently well across all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, visiting museums, school exchange visits to Germany, careers programme, life skills, personal safety and financial awareness activities
Royal School for the Deaf Derby is a special school for deaf children aged 3-19 that has maintained its good standards since the previous inspection in 2019. The school provides a truly bilingual approach with British Sign Language and speech and language therapy at the core of all pupils' learning.
At a Glance
48.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Hearing
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
10 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Royal School for the Deaf Derby
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Royal School for the Deaf Derby from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Royal School for the Deaf Derby 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
- 48
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 48 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 40 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
90%
Near capacity
127 pupils
141 places
14 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Derby
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Derby
Across Derby council
Places available
3,747
Applications
3,099
Got 1st preference
81.7%
Got preferred school
95.7%
All secondary applications across Derby council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(12)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
2
SEN Support
125
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Royal School for the Deaf Derby provides for pupils with hearing impairment.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
127
Total Pupils
66
Boys
61
Girls
2026 academic year
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.6%
Overall absence
36.8%
Persistent absence
68
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Royal School for the Deaf Derby
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Royal School for the Deaf Derby
What are GCSE results like at Royal School for the Deaf Derby?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Royal School for the Deaf Derby achieved an Attainment 8 score of 6.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Royal School for the Deaf Derby's Ofsted rating?
Royal School for the Deaf Derby's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Royal School for the Deaf Derby?
No fixed boundary. When Royal School for the Deaf Derby is oversubscribed, Derby allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Royal School for the Deaf Derby?
Royal School for the Deaf Derby has around 127 pupils on roll. 48% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Royal School for the Deaf Derby have specialist SEN provision?
Royal School for the Deaf Derby provides for pupils with hearing impairment.
What is attendance like at Royal School for the Deaf Derby?
10.6% of sessions were missed at Royal School for the Deaf Derby in 2024/25. 36.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Royal School for the Deaf Derby?
Apply through Derby's coordinated admissions process, naming Royal School for the Deaf Derby on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Royal School for the Deaf Derby?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 48 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 40 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 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 Royal School for the Deaf Derby?
Royal School for the Deaf Derby is at Ashbourne Road, Derby, Derbyshire, DE22 3BH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)