Kids across the country are enjoying their last days of summer freedom, before they head back to school.
Many younger children will also be starting for the first time, at a brand new primary school. It’d only be natural for them and their parents to feel a little anxious about what will no doubt be a big change to their lives.
But in a region as vast as the East Midlands, much of the time there were multiple local schools to choose from - each with their own strengths and weaknesses - and families will no doubt be left wondering whether they have made the right choice for their child.
We’ve created a league table to highlight some of the region’s best state primary schools, based on two key metrics. The first is the percentage of its pupils who completed the national curriculum’s key stage 2 in the 2022/23 school year (the most recent data available), and met the expected standards for reading, writing and maths. We’ve selected only schools which surpassed both the national and local authority area’s averages, and had at least 85% of their pupils achieve the government-set target.
The next is schools rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted - meaning the quality of education provided, student behaviour and attitudes, school leadership and management, and student safeguarding have all been found to be excellent.
Many smaller, local village and faith schools were able to prove just how brightly they shine. But even larger schools in centres like Nottingham and Derby, with more students from more diverse backgrounds to get across the goalpost, managed to earn themselves a spot.
Here were the East Midlands’ 22 ‘super schools’ that topped the list:
17. Isham Church of England Primary School
This is an Anglican primary school just out of Kettering, North Northamptonshire. In the last academic year, 87% of its pupils met the expected standards in reading, writing and maths, compared to an average of 56% locally and 60% nationally. | Google
18. Barrowby Church of England Primary School
This is an Anglican primary school in Barrowby, just out of Grantham, Lincolnshire. In the 2022/23 academic year, 86% of its pupils met the expected standards in reading, writing and maths, compared to an average of 56% locally and 60% nationally. | Google
19. Litton Church of England Primary School
This is an Anglican village primary school in Litton, Derbyshire. In the 2022/23 academic year, 86% of its pupils met the expected standards in reading, writing and maths, compared to an average of 59% locally and 60% nationally. | Google
20. The Tydd St Mary Church of England Primary School
This is an Anglican primary school in the village of Tydd St Mary, north of Wisbech, Lincolnshire. In the 2022/23 academic year, 86% of its pupils met the expected standards in reading, writing and maths, compared to an average of 56% locally and 60% nationally. | Google