At South Darley, we offer a rich, ambitious curriculum designed to make the most of our small school. With just three classes and an experienced, dedicated team, every child's learning is shaped by teachers who know them well — their strengths, their interests, and where they need to go next.

Our unique four-year topic rotation means children revisit and deepen their understanding of subjects as they grow — and because our classes are mixed-age, every child benefits from learning alongside older and younger peers.

Reading and maths are built on strong foundations — Twinkl Phonics in the early years and White Rose Maths across the school. Every junior learns a different musical instrument every year through our partnership with Derbyshire Music Partnership, and our children enjoy regular swimming, forest school, and a wide programme of trips and enrichment activities.

Ofsted (2024) found that our pupils have "excellent attitudes to learning" — and that's something you notice the moment you walk through the door.

Browse the pages below to find out more about our curriculum, class pages, results and school day.