Carlton Academy, Nottingham

In its own words: "The Carlton Academy is a 'good school', OFSTED November 2022, and is sponsored by the Redhill Academy Trust . This partnership gives us the opportunity to continue our improvements and for the academy to become recognised both locally and nationally as a truly outstanding school."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We believe that the journey to a successful future begins at The Carlton Academy, a school that sits proudly at the heart of the community and where pupils are flourishing. We are sponsored by The Redhill Academy Trust , a trust whose vision is to provide outstanding academies for the communities they serve."

In 2026, pupils at Carlton Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.6 in Nottinghamshire and 47 across England.

53% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in Nottinghamshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 45.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.03: pupils made about average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 40.8, against 53.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 29 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 296 families put Carlton Academy as their first choice and 662 named it as one of their preferences, for 257 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 39 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Carlton Academy are The Wells Academy (1.1 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 38.7); Nottingham Academy (1.3 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 39.9); Carlton le Willows Academy (1.5 miles, Attainment 8 56.5); and Arnold Hill Spencer Academy (1.7 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 47.8).

Carlton Academy's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Carlton Academy is one of 21 schools run by Redhill Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.9 in 2024/25.

Of the 212 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 45% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 73 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 59% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 18% into work. 16% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

7.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (72%) and Mixed (11%).

In 2026, 92 pupils (6.8%) received SEN support and 15 (1.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Carlton Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.

22 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Huckerbys Field (opposite), 60 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 200 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Nottinghamshire (101), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Carlton Academy issued 422 suspensions, 30.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 11 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Carlton Academy are Haddon Primary and Nursery School (0.3 miles), Westdale Infant and Nursery (0.5 miles), Westdale Junior School (0.5 miles) and The Carlton Junior Academy (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.