Portway Infant School
Woodlands Road, Allestree, Derby, DE22 2HEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Portway Infant School is a primary school in Derby for ages 5 to 7. It is one of the 116 schools in Derby. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in December 2013.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 11 December 2013, report published 18 January 2014
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 19 September 2023
Pupils are proud of their warm and welcoming school. They appreciate the school's efforts to care for them and keep them safe. When they start school, pupils quickly learn the 'golden rules' and understand the importance of being, 'ready, respectful and safe'. Pupils enjoy opportunities to choose books and read in their new library. They say that they are helped to learn to read and can describe stories they have enjoyed. Pupils particularly appreciate learning in the school's well-equipped forest school. Each week, they learn about the natural world and the weather, as well as enjoying art activities. Pupils value opportunities to learn from a broad and varied range of subjects, including learning to play musical instruments. Sometimes, pupils say that learning is too easy and that they are ready to move on to new learning sooner than they do. There is a wide range of clubs and activities on offer. Pupils enjoy singing, gardening, crafting and football. They attend local competitions and performances with pupils from other schools. Members of the school council and eco-council work with others to ensure that the school is the best that it can be for all pupils.
What the school should improve
- Some learning activities do not meet the needs of all pupils. They do not always deepen pupils' knowledge. The school should ensure that curriculum activities are well designed and provide pupils with opportunities to embed knowledge and develop skills.
- Pupils who require additional support are provided with well-chosen interventions. However, the details of this provision are not always clearly recorded, and it is sometimes difficult to assess the impact of this work over time. Leaders should ensure that staff regularly and clearly evaluate the effectiveness of provision, adjusting it where necessary.
- The school has not developed a clear system to assess how well pupils have learned the curriculum. This means that adaptations to the curriculum do not always respond precisely to information about what pupils know and can do. The school should develop appropriate assessment opportunities.
Pupil numbers and mix
168 pupils on roll, with places for 180
Schools near Portway Infant School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portway Junior School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | 56% met the expected standard |
| Old Vicarage School | 0.7 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Walter Evans Church of England Aided Primary School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 68% met the expected standard |
| Lawn Primary School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | 84% met the expected standard |
| The Curzon CofE Primary School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | 36% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 5 to 7
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Lisa McSherry
- Phone
- 01332550702
- Address
- Woodlands Road, Allestree, Derby, DE22 2HE
- Local authority
- Derby
- URN
- 112740
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.