Discovery Academy, Nuneaton
Discovery Academy is a special school for pupils aged 9 to 19 in Nuneaton, part of Macintyre Academies. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Discovery Academy in detail
Discovery Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Discovery is a specialist academy in Warwickshire for over 90 children and young people with an autism spectrum condition or an identified social, emotional or mental health need aged 9 - 19 years."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Discovery Academy are ALP Nuneaton (1.2 miles, Good); Oak Wood Primary School (1.4 miles, Good); Oak Wood Secondary School (1.4 miles, Good); and Arc School Ansley (3.8 miles, Good).
ALP NuneatonOak Wood Primary SchoolOak Wood Secondary SchoolArc School Ansley
The trust
Discovery Academy is one of 4 schools run by Macintyre Academies, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 23 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 74% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 57% to a further education college.
Who goes there
63.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Discovery Academy has an education, health and care plan (108 of 108 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Discovery Academy has a resourced provision: 105 places, 109 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Nuneaton Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Earls Road (adjacent), 280 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 521 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Warwickshire (88), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Discovery Academy issued 11 suspensions, 10.8 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from July 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2018 inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
63.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Resourced provision
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Discovery Academy
From Discovery Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Discovery Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Discovery Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Discovery Academy is in Warwickshire; for families living there:
- Warwickshire's school travel policy: Free school transport for students under the age of 16
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 27
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 23 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Warwickshire is 7 (the median across 286 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Full
108 pupils
108 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Nuneaton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Nuneaton
Across Warwickshire council
Places available
7,662
Applications
6,716
Got 1st preference
82.3%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Warwickshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
108
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Discovery Academy has a resourced provision: 105 places, 109 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
108
Total Pupils
87
Boys
21
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
4.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,367
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
28.6%
Overall absence
58.8%
Persistent absence
97
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Discovery Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Discovery Academy
What are GCSE results like at Discovery Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Discovery Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 5.3. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Discovery Academy's Ofsted rating?
Discovery Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Discovery Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Discovery Academy is oversubscribed, Warwickshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Discovery Academy?
Discovery Academy has around 108 pupils on roll. 64% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Discovery Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Discovery Academy has a resourced provision: 105 places, 109 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Discovery Academy?
28.6% of sessions were missed at Discovery Academy in 2024/25. 58.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Discovery Academy?
Apply through Warwickshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Discovery Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Discovery Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 23 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Warwickshire is 7 (the median across 286 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Discovery Academy?
Discovery Academy is at Vernons Lane, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV11 5SS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)