Morley Primary School Review 2026: Small Village Primary, Big Outcomes

A one-form-entry primary where “The Morley Feeling” is more than a slogan. With a published Reception intake number of 10 places per year, this is a genuinely small school by Derbyshire standards, and that scale shapes everything from routines to relationships.

Academic results are a headline strength. In the most recent Key Stage 2 dataset, 93% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with 62% across England. At the higher standard, 45.33% reached greater depth across reading, writing and maths, compared with 8% across England.

Leadership is stable. Mr Anthony Taylor is Headmaster, with his headship recorded from 09 September 2022.

The defining feature here is intentional community. The school’s own language centres on Togetherness, Love and Passion, and it frames these as practical aims: collaboration, kindness, pride in locality, resilience, and high standards. That clarity gives parents a useful lens for judging fit, especially if you are choosing between small village schools where culture can vary widely.

Size matters. With a published capacity of 70 and a pupil count shown as 79 on the most recent official listing, the day-to-day experience is likely to feel personal, with adults knowing pupils well and older children visible as role models for younger ones.

A subtle but telling detail is the house structure. Houses are named Morley Hayes, Rolls-Royce, Tissington, and Broomfield, explicitly chosen to reflect local and Derbyshire links. That is a simple mechanism for mixing ages, building shared identity, and giving pupils a reason to invest in collective routines such as Celebration Assembly recognition.

The outcomes data places Morley Primary School among the stronger performers in England.

Key Stage 2 combined standard (reading, writing, maths)

In the latest dataset, 93% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. The England average is 62%. This is a substantial gap and suggests that, across the cohort, pupils are consistently secure in core literacy and numeracy by the end of Year 6.

Higher standard

At the higher standard, 45.33% of pupils achieved greater depth in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with 8% across England. For families with children who are already working ahead, this is the more informative indicator, because it shows not just reaching the bar but pushing beyond it.

Subject indicators

The same dataset shows 100% reaching the expected standard in reading and 100% in science, with 93% meeting the expected standard in maths and in grammar, punctuation and spelling. That pattern points to a school that keeps breadth in view while still maintaining tight delivery of the basics.

FindMySchool ranking context

Morley Primary School is ranked 711th in England for primary performance on the FindMySchool system, and 1st locally for the Ilkeston area (FindMySchool rankings, based on official outcomes data). A rank around this level corresponds to performance in the top slice of schools in England, and it aligns with the very high combined and higher-standard figures above.

For parents comparing nearby options, this is a good moment to use the FindMySchool Comparison Tool on the local hub page so you can see how different schools balance expected standard versus higher standard, which often maps more closely to classroom pace and stretch.

The curriculum messaging on the school website emphasises language and knowledge-building, and it offers specific examples of how that plays out in practice.

A distinctive choice is Latin within the curriculum. The rationale is clearly explained: Latin is used to strengthen vocabulary knowledge, build understanding of word roots, and create links to modern languages that pupils will meet later. The school also references a mixed-age approach to Latin teaching, which can work well in small schools where classes span year groups, because it allows for consolidation and progressive depth rather than repeating the same content each year.

Reading appears to be treated as a whole-school priority rather than only a Key Stage 2 focus. The school describes deliberate actions such as investing in reading stock, adults hearing children read daily, class texts studied for sustained periods, and structured comprehension habits through an ASPIRE programme. This matters because it suggests that strong results are being pursued through systems and habits, not just short-term test preparation.

For families, the practical implication is this: if your child responds well to explicit teaching of vocabulary and comprehension, and you value a school that treats language as central across subjects, the approach described here should feel coherent from early years through Year 6.

Morley does not present itself as feeding into a single secondary destination, which is normal given its location and the pattern of parental choice across Derbyshire and Derby City options. Instead, the school states that pupils move on to a range of secondary schools and colleges, and it lists examples of local destinations including Heanor Gate, Leesbrook, Landau Forte, John Flamsteed, Kirk Hallam, Ecclesbourne, Derby High, Ockbrook, Trent College, West Park, Derby Cathedral School, Woodlands, St Benedict’s Catholic School, and Chellaston Academy.

That breadth can be a real advantage. It suggests staff are used to supporting families through different application routes and transition expectations, including selective or independent pathways where relevant. It also means you should not assume your child’s peer group will move as a single block to one secondary, the next step may be more dispersed.

For pupils with SEND, the school describes a transition process that includes visits to the new school, staff visits from the receiving secondary, and SENCo-to-SENCo liaison to put adjustments in place. In a small primary, that kind of structured handover can make a meaningful difference for anxious pupils and for children who need predictability.

Morley Primary School’s admissions are run through the Derbyshire co-ordinated scheme. The school publishes a Reception Published Admission Number (PAN) of 10 places per year, which is the core reason competition can feel intense even when absolute applicant numbers look modest.

For September 2026 Reception entry, the school sets out clear dates: applications open 10 November 2025, the deadline is 15 January 2026, and offers are made 16 April 2026.

Demand indicators reinforce that this is not a “turn up and you’re in” village school. For the primary entry route, there were 47 applications for 18 offers, with an oversubscription status recorded, and a subscription proportion of 2.61 applications per place offered. This is a useful way to think about competitiveness because, with small year groups, a handful of additional local applications can shift the picture significantly year to year.

Parents considering the move should use a precise distance tool such as FindMySchoolMap Search alongside the local authority’s published criteria, then treat any single year’s pattern as directional rather than guaranteed.

Pastoral messaging is strongly tied to safety, belonging, and routine. The headteacher is identified on the school site as a Designated Safeguarding Lead, and the school publishes named safeguarding leads, which is a reassuring sign of clear responsibility and visibility.

Daily structure also supports wellbeing. The school day is set out clearly, with the day starting at 08.45, and finishing at 15.20 for Class 1 and 15.30 for Classes 2 and 3. Lunchtime is 12.00 to 13.00. Assemblies are described as broadly Christian in nature (common in many non-faith primaries as part of collective worship traditions), while the school’s formal religious character is listed as none.

A small-school context often means fewer places to hide socially, which can be positive for inclusion when adults step in early and consistently. If your child thrives on being known, and benefits from predictable routines and clear expectations, the pastoral shape described here is likely to suit.

Extracurricular life is not framed as endless choice, it is framed as relevant, structured opportunities that fit a small school’s scale.

After-school clubs (example term)

The school publishes a club rota for Spring 2 2025 including Basketball, Dodgeball, and Clay Creators, open to all classes. The mix is telling: competitive sport, inclusive physical activity, and a creative programme with a named external lead. For families, this matters because it shows enrichment is planned rather than ad hoc, and it provides a practical route for pupils to build confidence beyond the classroom.

Pupil leadership through sustainability

Morley Scheco! is described as a combined School Council and Eco-team, meeting regularly and supporting pupil voice. The school also links this to Eco Schools work, including a published silver certificate and action plan. In practice, this kind of structure can be a strong fit for pupils who enjoy responsibility and want their opinions to land somewhere concrete.

House events as culture-building

The four-house model provides a simple framework for sports days, team events and shared projects. It also naturally mixes ages, which can be especially valuable in a school where year groups are small and friendship groups can otherwise feel narrow.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Usual costs are the expected ones, uniform, trips, and optional clubs.

Wraparound care is unusually well-specified for a small primary. Penguin Play (the school’s before and after-school club) lists a Breakfast Club 07.45 to 08.45 and an Afterschool Club up to 18.00, with multiple session options depending on collection time and whether a child is attending an additional club first.

On logistics, the school explicitly asks parents not to use the small staff car park for routine drop-off and pick-up, and it highlights safeguarding procedures around authorised collection. If you rely on car travel, it is worth factoring in that village-school roads and small entrances can be the real constraint, not the school day itself.

• Very small year groups. A PAN of 10 means cohorts are tight. This can be excellent for confidence and individual attention, but it can also mean fewer “natural” friendship options for some children.

• Competition for places. The dataset shows an oversubscribed profile, with multiple applications per offered place. If you are moving into the area, treat admissions as a process to plan early rather than assume.

• Secondary transition is dispersed. Pupils move on to a wide range of secondary destinations. That flexibility is useful, but it also means parents should start exploring options in Year 5, not just wait for Year 6 communications.

• Inspection context. The current school opened as an academy, and the most recent Ofsted publication is linked to the conversion rather than a new graded inspection. For families who rely heavily on recent inspection evidence, a visit and detailed questions about current teaching and safeguarding processes will matter.

Morley Primary School combines the intimacy of a genuinely small primary with outcomes that sit well above England averages. It will suit families who want strong fundamentals in reading, writing and maths, and who value community culture that is deliberately named and reinforced through routines such as houses, pupil leadership, and structured clubs. The limiting factor is usually admission rather than day-to-day quality, so the best approach is to shortlist early, understand the Derbyshire process, and visit with clear questions about how your child would be supported within a small cohort.