Unstone Junior School, Dronfield

Ofsted's report card from its 13 January 2026 inspection grades Unstone Junior School on 6 areas: 2 expected standard, 2 needs attention and 2 urgent improvement. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have clear systems and processes in place to support pupils to attend well."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school's personal development offer provides pupils with the education and opportunities they need to be well prepared for life beyond Unstone Junior School."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils who are at the early stages of reading are not supported to achieve well."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Staff do not know the barriers that disadvantaged pupils face."

Curriculum and teaching - Urgent improvement. "Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of the quality of teaching."

Leadership and governance - Urgent improvement. "Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of the weaknesses in school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that they have a full and accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They should ensure that they prioritise the most important areas for improvement, including taking swift action to improve the quality of teaching, and work strategically to monitor the impact of these initiatives"; "Leaders, including governors, should ensure that there is the capacity to support progress in the school. Leaders should ensure that an appropriately qualified special educational needs coordinator is in place"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment information to check what pupils already know, in particular, when adapting learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers develop sufficient expertise in the teaching of reading to meet the needs of all pupils, ensuring that gaps in pupils' learning are identified and acted on, to improve all aspects of pupils' reading and writing"; "Leaders should ensure that they monitor the implementation of provision for vulnerable groups, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils"; "Governors should ensure they have an accurate understanding of the school's priorities and provision for disadvantaged pupils so that they are well placed to challenge and support leaders' work".

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Unstone Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in Derbyshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 57% in reading and 71% in maths in 2024.

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

Across Derbyshire, 95% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2026, families in Derbyshire lodged 161 appeals against primary school offers; 108 reached a hearing and 13 succeeded (12% of those heard).

The nearest other state primary schools to Unstone Junior School are Unstone St Mary's Nursery & Infant School (0.3 miles, Good); Dronfield Stonelow Junior School (1.3 miles, Good, 85% reading, 83% maths); Holmesdale Infant School (1.4 miles, Outstanding); and Northfield Junior School (1.4 miles, Good, 100% reading, 89% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Unstone Junior School.

25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Unstone Junior School (as of April 2026): 60% would recommend the school, 60% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (64%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).

53.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (92%) and Mixed (8%).

In 2026, 29 pupils (59.2%) received SEN support and 3 (6.1%) 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.

Unstone Junior School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 11 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Dronfield Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Crow Lane (on), 60 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 15 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50).

Unstone Junior School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to Unstone Junior School are Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School (1.3 miles) and Whittington Green School (1.6 miles).