Tibshelf Infant School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 3 to 7
Ofsted: Good

144 High Street, Tibshelf, Alfreton, DE55 5PPOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Tibshelf Infant School is a primary school in Alfreton for ages 3 to 7. It is one of the 449 schools in Derbyshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in July 2017.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 12 July 2017, report published 19 September 2017

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 15 November 2022

This is a welcoming school with a warm, caring ethos. Pupils thrive here. They say that they are happy at school because the teachers are kind and the lessons are interesting. The older pupils are proud of their roles as play leaders and 'iVengers'. They enjoy organising playtime activities and helping others learn to stay safe online. These roles help pupils to learn about responsibility and safety. Pupils' behaviour is good. They respond well to teachers' high expectations of how they should behave, in lessons and around school. Pupils say that they feel safe at school. They understand that bullying is wrong. Pupils, staff, parents and carers agree that bullying hardly ever happens at this school. However, pupils are certain that teachers will deal with any issues that may arise. Pupils take part in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. These activities are open to all pupils. They include sports, music, computing, 'clay creators', art and 'eco' clubs. The outdoor play area has been extensively developed. There is an impressive range of equipment to promote pupils' physical fitness. There are also some quieter zones, designed to encourage pupils' social and emotional development.

What the school should improve

  • In most subjects, leaders have revised the curriculum to ensure that it sets out the key knowledge and skills that pupils should gain. In a small number of foundation subjects, this work needs refinement. This means that, currently, leaders cannot be sure that the curriculum is precisely sequenced, from Nursery to Year 2, in those subjects. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced so that pupils know and remember more, in all subjects.
  • Leaders have begun to revise the reading curriculum in response to the poor outcomes in phonics. Previously, too many pupils did not develop as capable readers. There is a plan to introduce a systematic synthetic phonics programme from February 2023. Leaders have introduced some interim improvements that appear to be effective. Leaders should ensure that the school's approach to teaching early reading enables all pupils to develop quickly as fluent, confident readers.

Pupil numbers and mix

140 pupils on roll, with places for 150

Eligible for free school meals17.9%

17.9%, 8.6 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language10%

10%, 11.6 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support21.4%

21.4%, 6.6 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan6.4%

6.4%, 0.4 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near Tibshelf Infant School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Town End Junior School0.8 milesOfsted judgements: Good to outstanding65% met the expected standard
Newton Primary School1 mileOfsted: Good71% met the expected standard
Pilsley Primary School1 mileOfsted: Good87% met the expected standard
Blackwell Community Primary and Nursery School2 milesReport card: Expected standard67% met the expected standard
Woodland View Primary and Nursery School2 milesOfsted: Requires improvement42% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Community school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
3 to 7
Gender
Mixed
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mrs Rachel Boswell
Address
144 High Street, Tibshelf, Alfreton, DE55 5PP
Local authority
Derbyshire
URN
112640

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.