SchoolScoresRoyal School for the Deaf Derby
Independent special school · All-through, ages 3 to 19 · Mixed · Nursery class · Sixth form · Boarding
Ashbourne Road, Derby, DE22 3BH
01332 362512 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 26 March 2019.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 11 December 2024: Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted non-association independent schools inspection data.
What parents say
10 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026.
| Statement | This school | England |
|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school | 90% | 83% |
| My child feels safe at this school | 90% | 85% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved | 90% | 78% |
| My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 10 parents of children with SEND | 90% | 63% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent | 80%said yes | 83% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 9%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
We don't show GCSE or primary results for independent schools. DfE's tables often leave out the IGCSEs and other qualifications many independent schools use, so their published figures can look far lower than pupils' real results. DfE has published no A level results for this school. Ask the school for its results.
Admissions
Independent schools run their own admissions and set their own fees. Contact the school directly.
Pupils, staff and SEND
This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Hearing impairment.
| Pupils | This school | Derby | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 51.4% | 59.6%* | 51.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 97.3% | 100.0%* | 99.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 2.7% | 0.0%* | 0.5% |
| English as an additional language | 90.0% | 19.9%* | 14.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) | 10.6% | 15.1%* | 12.8% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) | 36.8% | 38.8%* | 35.3% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.9 | 10.6 | 12.3 |
| Pupils suspended at least once | 0.9% | 6.1% | 5.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.08% |
Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby special schools
- Jasmine Hall School 0.4 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2025)
- Aurora Ryefields School 0.6 miles · Independent · Ofsted: No graded inspection
- Maple View School 1.3 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Outstanding (2025)
- Include - St Matthews 1.3 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 6 needs attention
- St Clare's School 1.6 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2013, before conversion), confirmed 2023 · 0% grade 5+ English and maths
- St Giles' Spencer Academy 1.8 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2016, before conversion), confirmed 2024 · 0% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Andrew's Academy 2.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014, before conversion), confirmed 2024
- Ivy House School 2.4 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2016, before conversion), confirmed 2024
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Royal School for the Deaf Derby's Ofsted rating?
Royal School for the Deaf Derby was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 26 March 2019. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 11 December 2024, Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.
Would parents recommend Royal School for the Deaf Derby?
80% of the 10 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026 said they would recommend Royal School for the Deaf Derby to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 113044.
- Inspections: Ofsted non-association independent schools management information, data to 31 July 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 10 November 2025 to 6 April 2026.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.