Academy sponsor led · Nottingham

The Bulwell Academy

11–18Ages
1,051Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
145952URN

Hucknall Lane, Nottingham, NG6 8AQ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected May 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.1per place

0.7 below Nottingham median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Nottingham

199 applications for 181 places · 19th of 19 in Nottingham

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

39.6of 90

Nottingham 44.1 England 46.0

14th of 19 in Nottingham

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 12 May 2026Published 23 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching			Needs attention
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years	Does not apply to this school
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected 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

12 May 2026
Report card · 4 Expected standard, 2 Needs attention
19 March 2024
Graded inspection: Requires improvement

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

1.1applications per place, Year 7

0.7 below Nottingham median (1.8) 1.1 below England median (2.2)

199 applications · 181 places offered · 147 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.1; Nottingham median median 1.8
2025 0.9; Nottingham median median 2.0
2024 1.0; Nottingham median median 1.9
2023 1.3; Nottingham median median 1.9
2022 1.6; Nottingham median median 1.9
2021 1.7; Nottingham median median 1.9
2020 1.7; Nottingham median median 2.0
2019 1.6; Nottingham median median 1.9
2018 1.6; Nottingham median median 2.2; as the previous school
2017 1.5; Nottingham median median 2.0; as the previous school
2016 1.8; Nottingham median median 2.2; as the previous school
2015 1.6; Nottingham median median 2.0; as the previous school
2014 1.9; Nottingham median median 2.0; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Nottingham median in 0 of 8 years.

This school
Nottingham median

Dashed bars: as The Bulwell Academy (URN 135685), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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	181	199	1.1	147	0.81
Sep 2025	196	179	0.9	132	0.67
Sep 2024	205	214	1.0	148	0.72
Sep 2023	238	299	1.3	203	0.85
Sep 2022	239	377	1.6	260	1.09
Sep 2021	208	357	1.7	234	1.13
Sep 2020	209	364	1.7	214	1.02
Sep 2019	209	335	1.6	205	0.98
Sep 2018 *	210	344	1.6	219	1.04
Sep 2017 *	195	298	1.5	166	0.85
Sep 2016 *	174	314	1.8	166	0.95
Sep 2015 *	166	259	1.6	147	0.89
Sep 2014 *	159	296	1.9	149	0.94

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

191 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)39.614th of 19 in Nottingham

Nottingham 44.1 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths39%11th of 19 in Nottingham

Nottingham 41% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths58%

Nottingham 59% England 66%

This school
Nottingham median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.72

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	191	39.6	39%	58%	–
2024/25	188	36.1	29%	47%	–
2023/24	191	34.1	26%	48%	−0.72
2022/23	189	38.4	28%	51%	−0.38

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

The Bulwell AcademyThis school
This school

2026

1.1applications per place 39.6Attainment 8
Park Vale Academy
1.4 km · Nottingham

Good2024

1.8applications per place 46.2Attainment 8
The Oakwood Academy
2.6 km · Nottingham

Good2023

1.9applications per place 44.7Attainment 8
Ellis Guilford School
3.1 km · Nottingham

Good2023

1.3applications per place 39.5Attainment 8
The Holgate Academy
3.5 km · Nottinghamshire

Requires improvement2024

1.5applications per place 36.6Attainment 8
The Kimberley School
3.9 km · Nottinghamshire

Remains Good2022

1.9applications per place 49.6Attainment 8
Nottingham Free School
3.9 km · Nottingham

Remains Good2022

4.1applications per place 52.0Attainment 8
Bluecoat Aspley Academy
4.3 km · Nottingham

Remains Good2024

4.5applications per place 45.8Attainment 8
The Trinity Catholic School A Voluntary Academy
4.3 km · Nottingham

Standards maintained2024

2.7applications per place 54.4Attainment 8

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 145952 · 892/4010
Trust: Creative Education Trust
Capacity: 1,050 pupils · 1,051 on roll
Free school meals: 55.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 May 2018
Replaced: The Bulwell Academy (URN 135685)
Address: Hucknall Lane, Nottingham, NG6 8AQ
Local authority: Nottingham

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