Academy converter · Nottinghamshire

Bracken Lane Primary Academy

3–11Ages
233Pupils
PrimaryPhase
144526URN

Bracken Lane, Retford, DN22 7EU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jun 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.8per place

0.3 above Nottinghamshire median (2.5)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Nottinghamshire

75 applications for 27 places · 73rd of 211 in Nottinghamshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

72%met the expected standard

Nottinghamshire 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 30 June 2026Published 14 September 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard
Inclusion		Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching		Strong standard
Achievement		Strong standard
Attendance and behaviour		Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Early years		Strong standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Strong standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

30 June 2026
Report card · 7 Strong standard
1 December 2021
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.8applications per place, Reception

0.3 above Nottinghamshire median (2.5) 0.6 above England median (2.2)

75 applications · 27 places offered · 27 named it first

2026 2.8; Nottinghamshire median median 2.5
2025 2.8; Nottinghamshire median median 2.4
2024 3.5; Nottinghamshire median median 2.4
2023 3.7; Nottinghamshire median median 2.4
2022 3.2; Nottinghamshire median median 2.4
2021 3.6; Nottinghamshire median median 2.3
2020 3.1; Nottinghamshire median median 2.3
2019 3.1; Nottinghamshire median median 2.2
2018 3.3; Nottinghamshire median median 2.3
2017 4.0; Nottinghamshire median median 2.2; as the previous school
2016 4.0; Nottinghamshire median median 2.3; as the previous school
2015 3.6; Nottinghamshire median median 2.3; as the previous school
2014 3.2; Nottinghamshire median median 2.2; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Nottinghamshire median in 9 of 9 years.

This school
Nottinghamshire median

Dashed bars: as Bracken Lane Primary and Nursery School (URN 122560), the previous school.

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	27	75	2.8	27	1.00
Sep 2025	30	85	2.8	29	0.97
Sep 2024	26	90	3.5	26	1.00
Sep 2023	24	89	3.7	22	0.92
Sep 2022	30	97	3.2	35	1.17
Sep 2021	30	109	3.6	34	1.13
Sep 2020	30	92	3.1	33	1.10
Sep 2019	30	92	3.1	30	1.00
Sep 2018	30	98	3.3	37	1.23
Sep 2017 *	30	121	4.0	41	1.37
Sep 2016 *	30	121	4.0	37	1.23
Sep 2015 *	30	108	3.6	28	0.93
Sep 2014 *	28	90	3.2	28	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 86% · Writing 79% · Maths 86% → all three 72% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard72%62nd of 223 in Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard86%

Nottinghamshire 78% England 78%

Higher standard38%

Nottinghamshire 32% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard79%

Nottinghamshire 76% England 75%

Greater depth34%

Nottinghamshire 10% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard86%

Nottinghamshire 79% England 77%

Higher standard17%

Nottinghamshire 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Nottinghamshire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	72%	14%	107	105
2023/24	70%	3%	105	104
2022/23	77%	0%	108	104

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Bracken Lane Primary AcademyThis school
This school

2026

2.8applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Thrumpton Primary Academy
0.6 km · Nottinghamshire

2026

3.3applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
St Swithun's Church of England Primary Academy
1.2 km · Nottinghamshire

Requires significant improvement 2026

1.6applications per place 17%met the SATs standard
Ordsall Primary School
1.5 km · Nottinghamshire

Good2022

1.6applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
St. Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
2.0 km · Nottinghamshire

Remains Good2024

2.2applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Carr Hill Primary and Nursery School
2.1 km · Nottinghamshire

Good2022

1.9applications per place 21%met the SATs standard
Hallcroft Infant and Nursery School
2.8 km · Nottinghamshire

2026

1.7applications per place
Clarborough Primary School
3.9 km · Nottinghamshire

Remains Good2022

2.5applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Gamston St Peter's CofE Primary School
4.1 km · Nottinghamshire

Good2024

3.6applications per place 69%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 144526 · 891/2353
Trust: Diverse Academies Trust
Capacity: 210 pupils · 233 on roll
Free school meals: 16.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2017
Replaced: Bracken Lane Primary and Nursery School (URN 122560)
Address: Bracken Lane, Retford, DN22 7EU
Local authority: Nottinghamshire · Bassetlaw

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources