South Darley C.E. Primary School is a Church of England village primary school in Darley Bridge, near Matlock, in the Derbyshire Dales. It teaches children aged 4 to 11, from Reception to Year 6, in three mixed-age classes. Ofsted confirmed in June 2024 that South Darley "continues to be a good school". More: About Us

South Darley C.E. Primary School is at Cross Green, Darley Bridge, near Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 2JT, a semi-rural village between Darley Dale and Winster. By car it is about 5 minutes from Darley Dale and Winster, 10 minutes from Matlock and 15 minutes from Bakewell. Derbyshire County Council decides who qualifies for free school transport. More: Contact Us

South Darley teaches in three mixed-age classes. Infants (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) are taught by Miss Gill, with Mrs Fletcher; Lower Juniors (Years 3 and 4) by Mr Wilde, our headteacher; and Upper Juniors (Years 5 and 6) by Mrs Worth, with Mrs Feeney. Children stay with the same teacher for two or three years, so they are known well. More: Class Pages · Our Staff

South Darley’s three classes have an average of about 18 children each, so every teacher knows every child: their strengths, their interests and what they need next. Our headteacher teaches a class too. More: Class Pages

No. At South Darley, every teacher knows every child’s strengths and what they need next, so children are stretched when they are ready and given more time when they need it. Our four-year topic rotation means children meet new topics as they move up through each class. Younger children are inspired by the older ones, and older children grow in confidence and responsibility. More: Our Learning

South Darley’s three class teachers, Mr Wilde, Miss Gill and Mrs Worth, have each taught at the school for more than ten years. That stability means your child is taught by people who know the school well. More: Our Staff

South Darley is a Church of England voluntary controlled school in the Diocese of Derby, and families of every faith and none are welcome. For admission, you do not need to be a member of the Church of England or a regular churchgoer. The church school inspection (SIAMS, 2023) found that "This is an inclusive and caring community where all are valued and treated with respect and kindness." More: Vision & Values

South Darley’s vision is "Living as Children of Light": a school where every child is known, cared for and helped to grow, with high expectations of every child. The church school inspection in 2023 found that "Pupils flourish because they are known as unique individuals and cared for by all staff", and that "Many parents choose to send their children to the school because of the sense of family, fellowship and community." More: Vision & Values

Yes. Ofsted last inspected South Darley on 27 June 2024 and confirmed that it "continues to be a good school"; the last graded inspection, in June 2019, judged it Good. Inspectors found that "The school is calm and orderly" and "Pupils enjoy learning at this school", and recorded that a typical comment from parents is that the school is "wonderful, warm and caring". More: Inspection Reports

South Darley’s church school inspection (SIAMS) took place on 5 December 2023. It found that the school "is living up to its foundation as a Church school and is enabling pupils and adults to flourish", and that "this rural Church school has the feel of a loving family where there is a strong and positive sense of belonging." The report does not give a grade. More: Inspection Reports

South Darley’s results are above national averages on most measures, and the school publishes every measure, not just the flattering ones. In 2026, 75 per cent of Year 6 reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths together, against 63 per cent nationally, with average scaled scores of 108.5 in reading and 107.5 in maths against national averages of 106 and 105. In 2026, every Year 2 child had passed the phonics check by the end of Key Stage 1, against about 89 per cent nationally. With eight children in Year 6 in 2026, one child is 12.5 per cent, so we show scaled scores as well. More: Our results

Behaviour at South Darley is very good. Ofsted found in 2024 that "Pupils behave very well" and that "The school is calm and orderly." Older children take on responsibility too: "Other pupils are sports captains who help organise team events and sports days." More: Inspection Reports

South Darley’s curriculum follows a four-year topic rotation, designed so that knowledge builds from Reception to Year 6. As well as English and maths, children study history, geography, science, computing, RE, PSHE, art, design and technology, music and PE, learn five languages, and do outdoor learning in the Dales. More: Our Learning · Curriculum

South Darley teaches phonics with Twinkl Phonics from Reception, and every child reads regularly with an adult. In 2026, every Year 2 child had passed the national phonics screening check by the end of Key Stage 1, against about 89 per cent nationally. Maths follows the White Rose scheme, with plenty of practical, hands-on learning. More: Infants · Our results

At South Darley, every junior child learns a musical instrument through the Derbyshire Music Partnership, and the school holds Music Mark School status. Juniors swim every week. The school holds the School Games Gold award for 2025-26 and the Healthy Schools Award, and clubs have included gardening, art, construction, film, multi-sports and football. Ofsted found that "The school provides many opportunities for pupils’ wider development." More: Sports · Our Learning

Yes. South Darley has a wooded area opposite the school, maintained by the parish council, which is used for Forest School, and classes take part in forest school sessions. The school has developed an outdoor learning environment for its pupils, and outdoor learning in the Dales is part of our curriculum. More: Our Learning

Yes. South Darley has a partnership with Hastings School in Kolkata, India, through the Kolkata Cathedral Relief Service, as part of a group of schools from the Diocese of Derby; teachers and governors have travelled to Kolkata to share cultures and support teachers there. Closer to home, the school has strong links with St Mary’s Church, with family services and seasonal celebrations through the year. More: Kolkata Partnership · St Mary's Church

Ofsted found in 2024 that at South Darley "Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported." We look carefully at each child’s circumstances when deciding how best to support them, and review their progress regularly with parents. Our SEND policy and SEND Information Report are on our website, and Derbyshire’s Local Offer lists the wider support available. Please ring us to talk about your child. More: SEN

Most South Darley leavers go on to Highfields School in Matlock or Lady Manners School in Bakewell, and a few to Anthony Gell School in Wirksworth. In recent years several have also gone on to independent secondary education. Ofsted found in 2024 that "Pupils are well prepared for their next steps." More: Upper Juniors

Yes. South Darley welcomes new families in every year group, from Reception to Year 6, whether you are choosing a first school or moving mid-year. Ring the office on 01629 732240 to talk about your child’s year group, and come and see us. More: Joining Us

Yes. South Darley welcomes visits at any time of year, not just on open days. Ring 01629 732240 or email office@southdarley.derbyshire.sch.uk and we’ll arrange a time to suit you. More: Contact Us

Applications for a Reception place at South Darley go to Derbyshire County Council rather than to the school, because the council is the admission authority. For September 2027, applications open on 9 November 2026 and close on 15 January 2027, and offers are made on 16 April 2027; children born between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023 apply in this round. It isn’t a form anyone fills in often, so if you’d like a hand, ring us on 01629 732240. We’re happy to help, whether or not you choose us. More: Joining Us · Derbyshire school admissions

Yes. Families join South Darley at every stage of primary school. Ring us on 01629 732240 first and come and look round. You then apply to Derbyshire County Council for an in-year place, online or on form AF5, up to one half-term before you need it, and the council replies in writing within 15 school days. We’ll help you with the form if you’d like. More: Joining Us

No. Families come to South Darley from the surrounding villages and towns as well as from Darley Bridge itself. Places are allocated by Derbyshire County Council, using its published admission criteria. More: Joining Us

South Darley gives every new family personalised induction meetings and full support, whether your child is starting in Reception or joining mid-year. We know that a first child starting school is a big step for the whole family, so we help with the council paperwork, get to know your child before they start, and stay in close touch through the first weeks. Families can get to know us long before Reception at Little Darlings, our stay-and-play group. More: Joining Us

Yes, if you’d like them to. South Darley offers a part-time start of mornings only, on request, for children born between 1 April and 31 August. Your child comes in every morning until you feel they’re ready for full days, or until they reach compulsory school age. We expect children to be ready for full-time school by the spring term, but we’re flexible and happy to talk it through: please discuss it with Miss Gill at the induction meetings. If you have wider questions about when your child should start, we’ll go through the options with you and Derbyshire’s admissions team.

South Darley doesn’t have a nursery class; children join in Reception, and they come to us from nurseries and pre-schools across the area. For children who aren’t at school yet, we run Little Darlings, our stay-and-play group, every Wednesday in term time.

Little Darlings is South Darley’s stay-and-play group for children from birth to starting school, with their parents and carers. It runs every Wednesday in term time from 10.00 to 11.30am in our Infant classroom, where our Reception children learn, and costs £2 a family. There’s no need to book: just come along.

South Darley’s school day starts at 8.40am, and registers close at 8.50am. Infants finish at 3.20pm and Juniors at 3.25pm. More: Our School Day

South Darley’s morning club opens at 8.00am every school day, Monday to Friday. It is an activity club rather than a breakfast club: film and construction clubs run by our staff, and sports clubs run by outside PE coaches. It costs £2.50 a session, or £25 a term for a regular weekly morning booked and paid for in advance. We don’t serve breakfast at the moment, but the school and governors are actively looking at introducing a breakfast club. More: Wraparound Care

Yes. South Darley’s after-school club runs on site from the end of the school day until 6.00pm, Monday to Thursday. It doesn’t currently run on Fridays only because no family has asked for it: if you need a Friday afternoon, tell us and we will actively consider it. The cost depends on collection time: £7 until 4.30pm, £9 until 5pm, £11 until 5.30pm and £13 until 6pm, with a £25 charge for collection after 6pm. Children have a snack and a drink at 4.30pm. More: Wraparound Care

Yes. At South Darley you can use morning club (Monday to Friday), after-school club (Monday to Thursday) or both, just on the days you need. After-school club sessions are booked in advance, with a day’s notice for a one-off session. To guarantee an after-school place, book for the half term using the booking form; late bookings are possible, though we can’t always guarantee a place. If your child is in Reception, we ask you to think carefully before booking both clubs on the same day, as school days are long for four-year-olds. More: Wraparound Care

South Darley doesn’t run its own holiday club, but we will point families towards holiday providers in the local area. More: Recent Communications

Most South Darley parents simply pull in at the school gates to drop off. If you’d rather park and walk, there is free parking by the church, about 20 metres away. Home time is staggered, with Infants finishing at 3.20pm and Juniors at 3.25pm, which spreads out collection and keeps things calm.  Parents usually wait on the playground for their children.  Infants will only be released once we have seen a parent/carer has arrived.

Every Infant child at South Darley can have a free school lunch. Junior lunches cost £3.25 a day, paid through ParentPay weekly, monthly or each half term, and there is a vegetarian option and sandwiches every day. Packed lunches are welcome too. Our meals come from Derbyshire’s school meals service, and the current menu is on their website. If you think your child may qualify for free school meals, please let us know. More: Derbyshire school meals menus

Tell South Darley about any allergies, so we can take the right action. We work with the kitchen, who make sure your child has a suitable meal.

South Darley’s uniform is dark grey trousers or skirt, a red jumper or sweatshirt, and a plain white shirt or polo shirt, with black shoes rather than trainers; the school logo is optional. For PE, children need red shadow-stripe shorts, a white T-shirt and trainers. Most items are available from My Clothing online (see our School Uniform page), and our PTA (Friends of South Darley School) runs a second-hand uniform sale at £1 an item: email FOSDSPTA@gmail.com with the items you’d like and your child’s name, or drop outgrown uniform, washed and bagged, at the school office. More: South Darley uniform at My Clothing

Homework at South Darley is around an hour a week in Years 1 and 2, an hour and a half a week in Years 3 and 4, and about thirty minutes a day in Years 5 and 6. It’s usually reading at home, spellings, times tables, maths, literacy, finishing work off, or research for a topic.

Activities in the school day at South Darley are free, apart from some music tuition. For trips and visits we ask for a voluntary contribution to help cover the cost. If you’re finding it hard to pay, please talk to us: no child will ever miss out on an opportunity provided to others. Children in Years 3 and 4, and again in Years 5 and 6, are invited on a residential visit, and juniors swim every week, for which we ask a voluntary £1 a week.

If your child is ill, please ring South Darley on 01629 732240 by 9.15am on each day they are absent. Please phone rather than email, as we can’t guarantee an email will be read in time. If we haven’t heard from you, we’ll contact you, because we need to know every child is safe.

South Darley sends a newsletter by email every half term, and Celebrating our Week every Friday. Letters come through ParentPay, and reminders, such as trips or weather closures, go out by text. You’ll get a written report each year and at least two meetings about your child’s progress, and if anything comes up in between, we’ll ring you. More: Newsletters

Every family at South Darley is automatically a member of our PTA (Friends of South Darley School), and it is one of the easiest ways to feel part of the school. New families are welcomed with a Welcome Walk, and the PTA runs events through the year and holds an informal annual meeting in the autumn term that everyone is welcome to. Help is always welcome, even five minutes at an event, but there’s never any pressure. More: Friends of South Darley School (PTA)