Saint Benedict, A Catholic Voluntary Academy
Duffield Road, Darley Abbey, Derby, DE22 1JDOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Saint Benedict, A Catholic Voluntary Academy is a secondary school in Derby for ages 11 to 19. It is one of the 116 schools in Derby. It ranks 9th of 18 secondary schools in Derby. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in May 2018.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 15 May 2018, report published 15 June 2018
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 28 November 2023
Pupils feel safe and cared for at this school. They know who they can talk to if they have a problem. Pupils say that problems are quickly sorted. Most parents and carers speak positively about the pastoral and academic care that pupils receive. Parents say, 'The staff at the school truly care about all aspects of our children's learning.' Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive a high level of support. Pupils enjoy an extensive wider personal development programme. Pupils can take part in sports such as football, netball and goal ball. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. The school provides a well-developed careers programme. Pupils behave well in their lessons. Lessons are rarely disrupted. This allows pupils to work well. In some lessons, teachers need to check closely that pupils understand the work that has been set. Behaviour around school is calm, including at lunch and breaktimes. Sixth-form students actively participate in school life. They act as mentors for younger pupils and help pupils with their reading.
What the school should improve
- Staff do not always check closely enough on pupils' progress in lessons. This means that misconceptions are not reliably identified and addressed quickly. The school must ensure that staff systematically check on pupils' understanding during lessons so that pupils acquire new knowledge and skills securely.
- The quality of the provision in the sixth form is sometimes variable. As a result, some of the outcomes for the academic route are lower than they might be. The school must check the quality of education in the sixth form carefully, ensuring that all sixth-form students consistently benefit from high-quality provision.
- The 'alternative pathway' in key stage 3 is new. It is still being refined. The school must complete the development of its 'alternative pathway' as soon as possible so that pupils on this pathway benefit from learning ambitious curriculum content in all subjects.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
243 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
72 students
Average A level grade C+, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
1,465 pupils on roll, with places for 1,591
Schools near Saint Benedict, A Catholic Voluntary Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allestree Woodlands School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 46.5 |
| Landau Forte College | 1 mile | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 55.4 |
| Derby Cathedral School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 41.5 |
| Da Vinci Academy | 2 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | Attainment 8: 34.7 |
| The Bemrose School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 33.8 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- ST RALPH SHERWIN CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Hazel Boyce
- Phone
- 01332557032
- Address
- Duffield Road, Darley Abbey, Derby, DE22 1JD
- Local authority
- Derby
- URN
- 138622
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.