City of Derby Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Derby for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 131 of its 925 pupils (14.2%) were getting SEN support and 23 (2.5%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 925 pupils
- Ofsted: Requires improvement
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Derby.
14.2% get SEN support
131 of 925 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
2.5% have an EHC plan
23 of 925 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health56
- Speech, language and communication35
- Moderate learning difficulty32
- Autism17
- Physical disability6
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 925 (places for 1,050)
- Headteacher
- Ms C Backhouse
- Part of
- Tapestry Learning Partnership
- Free school meals
- 57.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Derby
- School reference (URN)
- 145132
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Derby council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Requires improvement, March 2024
Rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in March 2024.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Farmhouse Road, Sinfin, Derby, DE24 3AR
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Ash Croft Primary Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.3 miles
- Cottons Farm Primary Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 0.8 miles
- Ivy House School Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.6 miles
- St Martins School Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 2.5 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about City of Derby Academy
How many pupils at City of Derby Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 131 of the 925 pupils (14.2%) were getting SEN support and 23 (2.5%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at City of Derby Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (56 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (35 pupils) and moderate learning difficulties (32 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at City of Derby Academy?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at City of Derby Academy?
Through Derby council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to City of Derby Academy?
You can ask for City of Derby Academy to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does City of Derby Academy have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Ash Croft Primary Academy, about 0.3 miles away.
Where is City of Derby Academy?
Farmhouse Road, Sinfin, Derby, DE24 3AR, in Derby.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.