Highfields Spencer Academy
Tutbury Avenue, Littleover, Derby, DE23 3UXOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Highfields Spencer Academy is a primary school in Derby for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 449 schools in Derbyshire. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 3 June 2025, report published 9 July 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 3 June 2025
Pupils at this school are happy and safe. The school is ambitious for all pupils to succeed and thrive. Many pupils achieve well. The school maintains high expectations for pupils' behaviour within a positive and caring ethos. The school's 'RISE' values of 'respect, inspire, success and empathy' are promoted widely and broadly understood by most. Respectful relationships are at the heart of the school. Discrimination of any kind is not accepted. Pastoral support for pupils is strong. Families appreciate how the school provides them with valuable advice and specialist support if needed. Pupils are confident in the trusted adults they can turn to if they have any worries. Pupils access a broad range of extra-curricular clubs to develop their wider interests. For instance, pupils can enjoy netball, football, dance and karate. Pupils value these new experiences and potential new hobbies. The school enriches pupils' learning with varied opportunities that nurture their personal development. Popular residential visits and camping in the school grounds help to build pupils' independence and teamwork skills. Pupils' curriculum experiences are brought to life with educational visits. For example, a recent space centre visit extended pupil's scientific knowledge, and a visit to a castle supported their studies in history.
What the school should improve
- Some aspects of the school's new curriculum do not sufficiently take account of what pupils have previously learned. Consequently, in some subjects, the curriculum content does not always build securely on pupils' prior understanding. The school should continue to refine its new curriculum to ensure that content is well sequenced and builds progressively, enabling pupils to remember and do more over time.
Pupil numbers and mix
258 pupils on roll, with places for 266
Schools near Highfields Spencer Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Griffe Field Primary School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | 83% met the expected standard |
| Carlyle Infant and Nursery Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Brookfield Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 65% met the expected standard |
| Gayton Junior School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 78% met the expected standard |
| St George's Catholic Voluntary Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Outstanding | 75% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Free schools
- Sector
- Free school
- Trust
- THE SPENCER ACADEMIES TRUST
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Miss Brooke McCulloch
- Phone
- 01332955599
- Address
- Tutbury Avenue, Littleover, Derby, DE23 3UX
- Local authority
- Derbyshire
- URN
- 147869
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.