Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP was given a whistlestop tour of St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby – the UK’s greenest primary school.
The visit was organised by Catherine Atkinson MP, Member of Parliament for Derby North.
The original St Mary’s building burnt down in October 2020 and reopened in 2023 as the country’s first biophilic school, as part of a pilot project by the Department for Education.
Bridget Phillipson MP met with leaders at St Mary’s and the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust. She was also given a tour of the school by pupils.
She said: “Spending time with the pupils and teachers at St Mary’s was inspiring. Their energy in the classroom and the care they show for their school community capture everything we want for children here in Derby and around the country.
“I’m proud to support the staff who go the extra mile for their pupils every day, giving every child the best start in life.”
Catherine Atkinson MP said: “It’s been fantastic to welcome the Education Secretary back to Derby – this time to St Mary’s. She cares deeply about local communities and is driving a truly child-centred government that listens to families and puts children first.
“I’m determined to work side by side with government, families, teachers and local partners to break down the barriers that hold our children back. Every pupil in Derby deserves the support and opportunity they need to reach their full potential.”
Amanda Greaves, Executive Headteacher at St Mary’s who oversaw the new build project, said: “We were delighted to welcome Bridget Phillipson MP to our thriving school and share the school’s journey from the fire to the opening of our new biophilic school. We were excited to share the tangible impact a biophilic school can have on pupils’ academic, social and emotional development. The children were so proud to show the Education Secretary around the site; spending time in classes, the chapel, courtyards and other outdoor spaces which collectively enhance their learning experiences each day.”
Kevin Gritton, St Ralph Sherwin Trust CEO, said: “We would like to thank Bridget Phillipson MP for taking the time to visit St Mary’s to meet the staff and pupils and our thanks also go to Catherine Atkinson MP for organising the visit. The pupils did a fantastic job of showing her around their wonderful school and they asked some very insightful questions.”
We are delighted that our school has won a number of awards recently:
The Sustainability Award at the annual Insider Media East Midlands Property Dinner which showcases excellence from the worlds of real estate, construction and design: Insider East Midlands Property Dinner 2024
Education Project of the Year at the Structural Timber Awards 2025: 2024 Winners – Radar Booking
Derby Civic Society Award at the Brighter City of Derby Awards: Derby: UK’s greenest primary school rebuilt after fire wins award | ICN
St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy has been graded Outstanding by Catholic schools’ inspectors.
The school underwent its Catholic Schools Inspectorate inspection, which is the national framework for the inspection of Catholic schools, over two days in January 2025.
The overall quality of Catholic education provided by the school, Catholic life and mission, religious education and collective worship were all graded Outstanding.
Inspectors said: “Pupils enjoy coming to St Mary’s school and appreciate all that it has to offer. They are happy, confident and secure, relishing their environment close to nature, fully embracing the Catholic identity and mission of the school.”
The report said that Executive Headteacher Amanda Greaves had driven her vision for St Mary’s to outstanding outcomes, with an unremitting focus, through a difficult period in the school’s history.
“She (Mrs Greaves) has been fully supported by the commitment of the leadership team, staff and governors,” inspectors said.
St Mary’s original building, on Broadway, burnt down in October 2020 and pupils and staff were based at St James’ House, on Mansfield Road, Derby, from April 2021. They moved back to a new biophilic school – the UK’s first – on Broadway in December 2023.
Pupils’ behaviour was described as excellent and relationships between them “very good.”
Leaders ensure it (the curriculum) meets the needs of different groups of pupils, conscious of the diversity that exists. [Pupils] work with independence and sustained concentration, collaborating easily and productively with one another. They produce high quality work, that is well presented. They show an innate curiosity in their studies, and are actively engaged in their work.’
“They actively participate in the Catholic life of the school: they display understanding of their sense of worth, valued as made in the image and likeness of God. Pupils have an easy acceptance of each other,” the report said.
Understanding of the school’s mission statement was praised and the impact it has on the school community was highlighted.
Inspectors said: “The school mission statement, the mission prayer and the SPIRIT expectations have a significant impact within the school community: they are deeply rooted in the Word of God, and give clear expression to how the school must live out its daily activities. Staff commitment to the mission is absolute, and their enthusiasm and commitment to the Catholic mission is plain to see.”
The school’s welcoming culture was noted by inspectors who said: “A culture of welcome has been firmly established, embracing whoever comes to the school. The excellent behaviour of pupils is a result of the impact of the consistent modelling of staff members, significantly influencing relationships across the school. The pastoral care of pupils shows a concerted commitment to serve the most vulnerable, and this is outstanding.”
Amanda Greaves, Executive Headteacher, said: “I am delighted to share our pride in achieving an Outstanding grade from the Catholic Schools’ Inspectorate. This recognition is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and commitment of our staff, leadership team, and governors, all of whom have worked tirelessly to ensure our school provides the very best education and nurturing environment for our pupils.
“The report highlights our pupils’ happiness, confidence, and strong sense of belonging within the school community. It is especially rewarding to see our shared Catholic values and mission being embraced so fully by everyone at St Mary’s. As we continue to build on the incredible progress made in recent years, I am incredibly proud of what our school has achieved through strong partnerships with parents, the parish, trust diocese and the wider community.
“Our focus on providing a curriculum that is inclusive and meets the needs of all pupils, alongside the strong pastoral care we offer, underpins everything we do at St Mary’s. We remain committed to ensuring our school is a place where everyone is welcome and every pupil can thrive academically, socially, and spiritually.
“I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this success, and I look forward to seeing our school continue to flourish.”
Watch the amazing drone footage of our new build
Footage provided by Tilbury Douglas
Pupils and staff at St Mary’s have moved into the UK’s greenest primary school, three years after a devastating fire.
St Mary’s is the country’s first biophilic school and has been built as part of a pilot project by the Department for Education.
Biophilic design focuses on connecting those inside with nature, with the goal of promoting physical and mental health.
The school’s original building burnt down in October 2020 and pupils and staff were based at St James’ House, in Mansfield Road, Derby, from April 2021.
Amanda Greaves, Executive Headteacher at St Mary’s, said: “I can’t quite believe this day is finally here. I am so delighted for the children, staff, parents and wider community as we begin the next chapter in the new St Mary’s, the greenest school in the UK. It has been an absolute privilege to be part of this incredible pathway project.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has played a part in supporting us during the most challenging 3 years; our dedicated staff, our loyal parents/carers, the St Ralph Sherwin Trust, Diocese of Nottingham and the people of Derby. We have appreciated your love, guidance and support throughout this time. I am looking forward to seeing the environment flourish over the coming months and using the tech to measure the impact of the stunning surroundings on pupils’ educational journey, as well as their physical and mental wellbeing.”
Bella Atkin, Year 3 class teacher, said: “It feels a bit surreal to be here but it’s really special. It felt quite nostalgic pulling into the site but once you are in it’s totally different. It’s absolutely beautiful, we are so lucky.
“I think the best thing about the new building is being able to see all of the outside areas from all of the buildings and everything is integrated. We have over 100 trees, the trim trail and lots of benches and everything feels calm and relaxed. Everyone is just excited to be here.”
Kevin Gritton, Chief Executive of the St Ralph Sherwin Trust, said: “This move means so much to the St Mary’s community and we are delighted for them after such a long and challenging journey.
“We would like to thank all of the staff, governors, parents, carers and pupils who have pulled together and worked so hard during this difficult time. This fantastic new eco-friendly building will serve generations of children for years to come.”
Peter Giorgio, Director of Education for the Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service, said: “This is a momentous day for everyone connected with St Mary’s and we are thrilled that they have moved into this incredible new building, where the staff will continue to provide children with the very best Catholic education and care.”
Time Lapse footage of St Mary’s new build
provided by Site Eye
Check the media coverage of the opening of St Mary’s new build here
Derby: Arson-hit school reopens after £8m rebuild – BBC News
BBC One – East Midlands Today, Evening News, 04/12/2023 (go to 10 minutes)
Andy Twigge – 04/12/2023 – BBC Sounds (1.08 in, 1.37 in, 2.08 in and 2.44 in)
St Mary’s – set to re-open in December 2023
The pioneering new eco building for a Derby primary school destroyed by fire is set to open to pupils and staff in December 2023.
St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy will return to its Broadway site on Monday, December 4th 2023, three years after the blaze at the school’s original building.
The fire broke out at the school in October 2020 and pupils and staff have been based at St James’ House, in Mansfield Road, Derby, since April 2021.
St Mary’s new building is set to be the UK’s greenest primary school, and first biophilic school, as part of a pilot project by the Department for Education.
Biophilic design focuses on connecting those inside with nature, with the goal of promoting physical and mental health.
Amanda Greaves, Executive Headteacher at St Mary’s, said: “This move is a hugely positive and long-awaited milestone and we know that pupils and staff will be excited to finally return to Broadway, to a brand new biophilic school.
“I would like to thank staff for their loyalty, resilience and everything they have done these past three years to provide the very best education in the most difficult circumstances for the good of our pupils and families.
“We continue to be extremely grateful and humbled by the ongoing support we receive from our parents and carers and we would like to thank them for their patience, understanding and support over the past three years.
“The whole community will benefit from what the new school will offer, complementing our mission and vision for St Mary’s now and in the future. ”
The official handover of the site from the contractors, Tilbury Douglas UK, is set to take place on November 24th.
The school will then take INSET days from Monday, November 27th to Friday, December 1st in order to complete the move and prepare the new school to welcome pupils on Monday, December 4th.
Kevin Gritton, Chief Executive of the St Ralph Sherwin Trust, said: “This is a new chapter for St Mary’s and this wonderful new school will be a place where staff will continue to provide children with the very best education and care.
“St Mary’s recent Ofsted report saw it being graded Good overall with Outstanding features and we are looking forward to seeing the school go from strength to strength.”
Simon Butler, Managing Director Building Central at Tilbury Douglas, said: “It is a great to see progress being made onsite and we are continuing to push on with the finishing elements of the build. We look forward to handing the building over at the end of the year for the students, staff and community to use.”
On Friday 14th July, Mrs Monica Farrell, the longest serving teacher at St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby, was celebrated by the school with a liturgical prayer, as she prepares to retire after 25 years.
Her husband and family were there to witness her being awarded the St Hugh Diocesan Medal for Service to the Catholic community. It was presented to her by Peter Giorgio, the head of the Catholic Education service (pictured with Mrs Farrell below), and Kevin Gritton, the CEO of the Trust, was on hand to give his good wishes.
Pupils tour new build with BBC Radio Derby
Some of our pupils and staff were given a tour of our fantastic new school with BBC Radio Derby on July 12th.
Reporter Jack Tymon interviewed the staff and children throughout the breakfast show as they walked around the site with Neil Holland from Tilbury Construction.
The children were thrilled with what they saw and were excited to go back to school and tell their friends all about it!
You can listen to the show here: Andy Twigge – 12/07/2023 – BBC Sounds
We feature at one hour 37 mins, two hours 5 mins and two hours 46 mins.
The pioneering new eco-building for our school is taking shape.
All of the five main single storey structures of the new building on our Broadway site have been erected and the process of cladding them with cedar is well underway.
The installation of windows has begun along with the construction of the large central covered walkway which will connect the buildings. A multi-use games area is also being created.
Painters and decorators will begin work in the coming weeks and the building is scheduled to be completed in late autumn.
The biophilic design focuses on connecting those inside the building – set to be the UK’s first biophilic school – with nature, with the goal of promoting physical and mental health.
As part of the unique scheme, the site will be planted with 96 new semi mature trees in late autumn.
St Mary’s original building, in Broadway, was destroyed by fire in October 2020 and the school has been based at St James House in Mansfield Road, Derby, since April 2021. Work started on the new building in February 2023.
Mrs Greaves, Executive Headteacher, said: “It is so exciting following the progress of our wonderful new school and we are very much looking forward to returning to our permanent home on the Broadway site. We appreciate how much moving into our new building means to our whole school community and we would like to thank everyone who has supported us on this journey.”
Kevin Gritton, Chief Executive of the St Ralph Sherwin Trust, said: “It is fantastic to see work progressing well on the new school for St Mary’s. We are all excited to see the finished school, which promises to be a wonderful space for staff and children.”
Tilbury Douglas, a leading UK building, infrastructure, engineering and fitout company, is the main contractor for the project, which is a pilot for the Department for Education.
Tilbury Douglas’s Project Manager, Neil Holland, said: “Tilbury Douglas have delivered many school projects, and there’s no doubt that this school is a real precedent for quality and sustainability. Employing modern methods of construction has really aided this programme to move at pace, and we look forward to handing this project over to the school in the autumn.”
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There is now further recruitment drive at Saint Benedict due to expansion
We are recruiting to a number of roles at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby due to exciting multi-million pound expansion plans.
Current vacancies include; Assistant Head of Year, Head of Biology, Teachers of Maths, Science, Dance, ICT and a Pastoral Support Assistant
Please visit the vacancies section of our website for more information Vacancies – St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust (srscmat.co.uk)
