Welcome to William Gilbert School from our headteacher Mrs Helen Britten

William Gilbert Endowed C of E Primary School and Nursery is a very special place to learn, grow and achieve.

We want our children to become creative, independent, and confident young people able to forge their own future and have a positive influence on the wider world.

We hope that our website will give you a taste of the life and learning at our school; an exceptional school in which Christian values and ethos permeate and underpin all that we are and do. William Gilbert School is proud to be a Church of England Primary School and part of the Derby Diocese Multi Academy Trust.

We are a thriving community of over 240 children, aged between 4 and 11, plus a 26 place Nursery. The normal catchment area is the Ecclesiastical area which covers mainly the village of Duffield, but pupils are welcome from outside the area if a place is available.

Our vision for excellence at William Gilbert Primary School is a safe and healthy learning environment where everyone is happy, motivated, challenged and with a thirst for learning.  We aim to equip young learners with the confidence, skills, attitudes, and qualities to thrive within a Christian setting as encapsulated in John 10:10, “I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness.”

Staff, supported by governors, work hard to deliver a rich and challenging curriculum; to prepare children for their future education and to help them acquire the skills and enthusiasm needed to pursue learning for the rest of their lives.

Our Christian values ensure that our children have a sound understanding of the respect and kindness needed to get along with everyone in and around our community.  We take our responsibility to promote community cohesion seriously and foster a respect for diversity and individual rights. We provide opportunities for pupils to explore their own culture and have a clear understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that shape modern Britain.

Close partnership between home and school is a recipe for a child’s success and this website is just one link in this important relationship. Our strong supportive culture is due to the real sense of partnership between home and school.

From their very first school experience, our children benefit from a highly dedicated team of teachers, support staff and governors who strive tirelessly to provide a caring and supportive environment which enables all our pupils to flourish. I am extremely proud to lead a team committed to achieving high standards and providing the very best opportunities for the children in our care. We very much believe that happy learners make successful learners. Every child is special, and we celebrate their unique strengths and abilities.