Quarrydale Academy
Sutton-in-Ashfield, NG17 2DU · Nottinghamshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
42nd of 45 secondary schools in Nottinghamshire we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 1.8/10 against 551 of them, against 1.2/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 26.7 · 10 | 46% | 0.45 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.56 · 13 | 38% | 0.51 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 39.3 · 16 | 15% | 0.25 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Quarrydale Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 24.1% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. The Attainment 8 score was 36.6, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.56 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Its results are much the same when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so the gap is not explained by intake (1.4 out of 10 against similar schools, 1.0 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,265 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,550. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their current Attainment 8 score and the national median? What specific interventions are in place to improve Progress 8 scores for students starting from similar backgrounds?
What Ofsted said about Quarrydale Academy
Overview
The inspection found that the school provides a "caring environment" where pupils feel safe and staff are "hardworking and committed." However, the quality of education varies, with inconsistent teaching standards and behaviour management limiting pupil achievement. The report notes that while aspirations are high, the school does not consistently ensure pupils engage purposefully or take pride in their work.
Strengths
- Staff are described as "caring and inclusive," with a "strong" pastoral offer that parents appreciate.
- The curriculum is "coherent and ambitious" in most subjects, with learning generally "sequenced well."
- The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) "promptly" and adapts teaching successfully.
- Personalised support helps pupils develop reading fluency, and attendance has improved due to effective barrier removal.
- Safeguarding arrangements are confirmed as "effective."
Areas to improve
- Teachers must maintain "consistently high expectations" and provide work that enables pupils to learn the ambitious curriculum, rather than moving on before knowledge is secure.
- Staff must apply the behaviour policy "consistently and confidently" to address instances of poor conduct and derogatory language.
- The personal development offer requires improvement to ensure pupils gain secure knowledge of "fundamental British values" and are better prepared for life in modern Britain.
- The school’s evaluation of improvement strategies needs to be more "precise" across all areas of provision.
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 38.4 |
| 2024/25 | 36.6 |
| 2025/26 | 39.3 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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