Wren Park Primary School Review 2026: Strong Key Stage 2 outcomes, a calm learning culture, and clear priorities for improvement

Fifty years after opening in 1967, Wren Park Primary School remains a large community primary serving Mickleover. Its published Key Stage 2 outcomes are a standout feature, and the school’s day-to-day expectations around behaviour and learning are clear, with pupils described as happy, enthusiastic and proud of their work.

The most important context for parents is that this is a school with two truths at once. Academic outcomes at the end of Year 6 are high, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics combined. At the same time, the school is in an improvement phase, with leadership, safeguarding systems, curriculum consistency and provision for some vulnerable groups highlighted as areas requiring urgent and sustained attention.

For families who value strong end-of-primary results and a structured culture, Wren Park is likely to stay on the shortlist. For those families, the key question becomes how confidently you feel the school is addressing its improvement priorities in practice, not just on paper.

The school presents itself as “One School, Kind and Resilient Together”, and the same underlying values show up in the language pupils use. The most recent official report describes pupils as behaving well, rising to high expectations for engagement, and learning in calm classrooms. That combination matters at primary level, because consistent routines are often what allow pupils who are not naturally confident to participate fully.

There is also evidence of pupil voice being taken seriously. Roles such as peer mediators, sports leaders and school council are part of the school’s internal culture, rather than being occasional badges. Small details add texture, too, such as pupils writing to pen pals at a local care home, which points to a community-minded approach that goes beyond assemblies.

Wren Park’s personal development offer is positioned as a strength, and the school’s wider programme supports that impression. Trips appear regularly in the school calendar, including year-group visits such as Sudbury Hall, Tamworth Castle and Crich Tramway Museum. For many families, this is the difference between a school that “does lessons” and a school that builds confidence through experiences pupils remember.

Wren Park’s most recent published Key Stage 2 data paints a very strong picture. In 2024, 83.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 29% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%.

Scaled scores reinforce the same message. Reading was 108, mathematics 106, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 109. Taken together, these are the kind of figures that typically signal secure foundations, not just test technique.

In the FindMySchool proprietary rankings (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,338th in England and 14th in Derby for primary outcomes. That places performance above England average, within the top 25% of schools in England.

What to make of this, as a parent? The simplest interpretation is that Wren Park is capable of getting many pupils to a solid academic standard by the end of Year 6, particularly in core skills. The more nuanced question is consistency across the whole curriculum and across groups of pupils, which links directly to the improvement priorities set out elsewhere.

Reading is treated as a core priority. The most recent official report describes staff being well trained in the phonics programme, pupils starting phonics immediately in Reception, and books being matched to the sounds pupils know. That kind of systematic approach usually shows up later in comprehension, writing fluency and the ability to access the wider curriculum.

Across subjects, the picture is mixed. In some areas, the curriculum is described as ambitious and well implemented, with pupils building deep understanding. In other areas, key knowledge has not always been identified or sequenced clearly enough, which makes it harder for pupils to remember and connect learning over time. For parents, that translates into a practical question: does your child enjoy a broad spread of subjects, and do they come home able to talk about what they have learned beyond English and maths?

Early years provision is an area of relative strength. Children are described as re-enacting stories through play, revisiting and practising prior learning before moving on, and being supported to develop vocabulary through skilled staff interactions. Independence and resilience are explicitly referenced, which aligns with the school’s wider emphasis on behaviour and attitudes.

The school’s published improvement priorities also emphasise consistency in subject leadership, development of teaching through staff training, and adaptive teaching for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Those priorities are sensible and specific, and parents should expect to see evidence of them in how lessons are structured, how resources are used, and how feedback is given.

As a maintained primary, Wren Park’s main destination measure is transition to local secondary schools rather than internal progression. The school’s own published information states that the majority of pupils transfer to Littleover Community School at the end of Year 6.

For families, this matters because it shapes the “default pathway” for friendship groups, travel patterns, and the type of secondary environment most pupils move into. If you are considering alternatives, the key is to plan early around travel time, admissions criteria, and how your child handles change, especially if you are aiming for a different social or academic setting at Year 7.

A practical step is to use FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools to review nearby secondary options side-by-side, then cross-check admissions criteria carefully before assuming any route is straightforward.

Wren Park is a Derby City local authority school for admissions, and Reception places are allocated through the coordinated system rather than by the school itself. The school publishes a Published Admissions Number (PAN) of 54 for Reception.

Demand is real. In the most recent admissions data provided here, the Reception entry route shows 84 applications for 43 offers, which equates to 1.95 applications per place. The status is recorded as Oversubscribed, so families should assume that not everyone who applies will secure a place, especially if applying from outside the priority area.

Key timings for the September 2026 intake are also clear. Applications are made in the window from 1 November to 15 January, with the national closing date on 15 January 2026. Offers are issued on 16 April 2026 (or the next working day if that date does not fall on a working day).

The school also advertised parent welcome meetings in mid-November (for the September 2026 intake), which suggests open events typically run around November each year. If you are looking at a later intake, treat that as the likely pattern and check the school’s calendar for the current year’s dates.

If you are applying in a high-demand year, it is sensible to use FindMySchool’s Map Search to understand how your address sits relative to priority areas, and to identify realistic alternatives in the same admissions cycle.

Pupils’ day-to-day experience appears orderly. Behaviour and attitudes are graded Good in the latest inspection, with calm classrooms and pupils concentrating well and taking pride in their work. Roles such as peer mediators can also be a useful indicator at primary level, because they often reflect a deliberate approach to relationships and conflict resolution.

The personal development programme is another clear strength. The latest report describes a breadth of opportunities, including clubs and health education, with pupils learning about physical and mental health and being encouraged towards self-care. That kind of consistent messaging matters for pupils who are anxious, socially cautious, or easily overwhelmed.

However, there is an important safeguarding and vulnerability context. The latest Ofsted inspection (20 to 21 May 2025) judged the school’s safeguarding arrangements as not effective, and graded leadership and management as Inadequate. Families should treat this as a serious factor in decision-making, ask direct questions about what has changed since the inspection, and look for clear, practical answers about processes, record-keeping, escalation and oversight.

Attendance is also part of the wellbeing picture. The most recent report notes persistent absence for some pupils, including some disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. That is worth probing because frequent absence can mask unmet needs and can affect classroom continuity for everyone.

Wren Park’s club offer is more specific than many primaries, and it spans sport, creative activity and curriculum-linked enrichment. Clubs published by the school include:

• Three Bears Cookery Club (all year groups), a practical programme that can build independence and confidence through routine skills.

• Magical Maths Club, a structured way to make maths feel playful rather than purely assessed.

• Bricks 4 Kidz, described as a Lego WeDo club, which gives a clear STEM flavour for younger pupils.

• Clay Creators, a modelling clay club that complements the broader personal development emphasis.

• Bright Star Sports badminton, run by Donna Kellogg MBE, which is unusually distinctive for a primary and can be a strong hook for pupils who enjoy racket sports.

Sport is not limited to one-off clubs. The school publishes girls’ and boys’ football training for Year 5 and Year 6, and multi-sports sessions across year groups. The implication is a programme that includes both participation and team representation, rather than a single after-school option.

Music provision is also tangible. The school lists peripatetic lessons in piano, flute, guitar and ukulele, which can be an important route for pupils who do not have easy access to tuition outside school.

The school day is clearly set out. Gates open 8.50am to 9.00am, with morning registration 9.00am to 9.10am, and the school finishes at 3.30pm. The school publishes total teaching time as 25 hours per week.

Wraparound care is available in the morning. Breakfast provision runs 7.30am to 9.00am on weekdays, and is priced at £6.00 per child per day. After school, the school’s clubs typically run 3.30pm to 4.30pm; these are structured activities rather than a general childcare offer, and families who need later-day cover should check what is currently available beyond clubs.

On travel and drop-off, published guidance indicates that parking management is a live issue, with families often needing to park off-site and walk in. For many households, the simplest solution is to plan for a brisk walk from residential streets, rather than aiming for door-to-door access.

• Safeguarding and oversight. The latest inspection judged safeguarding arrangements not effective and leadership and management Inadequate. Families should ask detailed questions about what has changed since May 2025, and how governors are now providing challenge and oversight.

• SEND consistency. The latest report indicates that adaptations and support are not consistent for some pupils with SEND, which can limit access to learning and the wider curriculum. If your child needs specific adjustments, you will want to understand how plans translate into classroom practice.

• Curriculum coherence beyond core. Core outcomes are strong, but the most recent report indicates that some subjects have weaker sequencing of key knowledge. Pupils who love foundation subjects may be more sensitive to uneven curriculum design.

• Competition for Reception places. The most recent admissions picture provided here shows oversubscription, with close to two applicants per place. Families should plan for realistic alternatives in the same year.

Wren Park Primary School offers a combination that will appeal to many families: calm classrooms, a well-defined culture, and Key Stage 2 outcomes that sit comfortably above England averages. The enrichment offer, from cookery to Lego WeDo to clay club, supports a rounded primary experience.

Who it suits: families in Mickleover who want strong core outcomes, clear expectations around behaviour, and a school that invests in clubs and personal development.

The main reservation is the improvement context. The May 2025 inspection judgements on safeguarding and leadership are serious, and parents should weigh the school’s published priorities and current practice carefully before committing.