Kirk Hallam Community Academy, Ilkeston

In its own words: "At Kirk Hallam Community Academy, we firmly believe that transformational learning experiences change lives. Our motto 'Work Hard, Be Kind' underpins everything that we do and reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence. We are unashamedly ambitious for all our students and believe that the development of the whole child is critical for their future success."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama and Duke of Edinburgh.

On phones, the school says: "The system utilises a simple, secure pouch that stores a phone."

In 2026, pupils at Kirk Hallam Community Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.2 in Derbyshire and 47 across England.

40% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Derbyshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 38.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.84: pupils made well below 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 34.7, against 46.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 84 families put Kirk Hallam Community Academy as their first choice and 222 named it as one of their preferences, for 100 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Kirk Hallam Community Academy are Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy (0.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.4); Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.8); Friesland School (3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46); and Bramcote College (3.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.7).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Kirk Hallam Community Academy.

Kirk Hallam Community Academy is one of 17 schools run by Nova Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47 in 2024/25.

69 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Kirk Hallam Community Academy (as of September 2025): 74% would recommend the school, 86% say their child is happy there and 56% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (87%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (56%).

Of the 159 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 73% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 53 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 34% went on to university or other higher education, 11% to apprenticeships and 21% into work. 14% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

45.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 1.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 161 pupils (22.7%) received SEN support and 36 (5.1%) 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 Ilkeston Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Community School (adjacent), 240 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 165 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 Derbyshire (50), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Kirk Hallam Community Academy issued 223 suspensions, 29.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Kirk Hallam Community Academy are Ladywood Primary School (0.3 miles), St Thomas Catholic Voluntary Academy (0.4 miles), Dallimore Primary & Nursery School (0.7 miles) and Field House Infant School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.