Denby Free CofE VA Primary School
Voluntary aided primary school in Ripley (Derbyshire).
Location
iSchool location from Get Information about Schools. Nearby schools are coloured by phase. Open Map+ for a full-screen map with neighbourhood deprivation (England only).About
iWritten by WhatSchool from official school data (Get Information about Schools, DfE and Ofsted).At Denby Free CofE (VA) Primary School, we are proud to be a small, village primary school with a rich history dating back to 1728. As a Voluntary Aided school, we have a strong connection to the Church of England, which plays an active role in the life of our school community.
At Denby Free, we believe in inspiring, nurturing, and educating our children to shine within our community. We have a strong Christian ethos that underpins our approach to education and our vision is to create an environment where all pupils can thrive, regardless of their background or beliefs.
While we have close ties to the local church, our school welcomes children from a wide range of faiths and backgrounds. Parents often choose Denby Free because they appreciate the values-driven approach that helps develop the whole child, rather than a strict focus on religious instruction.
Our school is a warm, caring community where every child is known and valued as an individual. We believe in working closely with all of our parents and carers to provide the very best education for our pupils.
Enrichment
4 activitiesiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Computing
- Mindfulness
- Music
- Little Wandle
Awards
2 awardsiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Anti-Bullying CharterRecognised award
- ArtsmarkArts and culture
Key facts
- URN
- 112881
- Type
- Voluntary aided school
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Sixth form
- Does not have a sixth form
- Nursery
- No Nursery Classes
- Local authority
- Derbyshire
- Constituency
- Amber Valley
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Governing body (10 current, 2 former)
Maintained school governing body.
Leadership
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Lyndsay Reast | Chair of Governors | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2026 · until 2030 |
Full governing body
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Sarah Pepper | Governor | Nominated by LA and appointed by GB | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Dr Gwyneth Eanor | Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Kim Jones | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Jennifer Clarke | Governor | Ex-officio by virtue of office as headteacher/principal | since 2024 |
| Mrs Elizabeth Fisher | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Miss Charlotte Hunt | Governor | Elected by school staff | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Mrs Dawn Roberts | Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Mrs Helen Burgess | Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Revd Martin Jones | Governor | Ex-officio foundation governor (appointed by foundation by virtue of the office they hold) | since 2015 |
| Mrs Sarah Fowler Former | Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
| Mrs Lyndsay Reast Former | Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2022 · term ended 2026 |
Source: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (governance records, as at 25 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Names are shown as published; there are no addresses or contact details. Current and former are worked out from term end dates when the page loads. Object or ask for removal · Report an issue with this record