Mercia Academy, Swadlincote

In 2026, pupils at Mercia Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.2 in Derbyshire and 47 across England.

29% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Derbyshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 32.6 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.27: pupils made 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 34.9, against 42.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 7.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 19 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 114 families put Mercia Academy as their first choice and 217 named it as one of their preferences, for 138 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 Mercia Academy are The Pingle Academy (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.4); Blessed Robert Sutton Catholic Voluntary Academy (1.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 47); Paulet High School (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.7); and Granville Academy (1.9 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 45).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Mercia Academy.

Mercia Academy is one of 17 schools run by Lionheart Educational Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.5 in 2024/25.

31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Mercia Academy (as of September 2025): 61% would recommend the school, 71% say their child is happy there and 85% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (85%); the weakest, that they would recommend the school (61%).

Of the 89 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 64% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

48.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 150 pupils (25.3%) received SEN support and 21 (3.5%) 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 Burton-on-Trent Rail Station, about 3 miles away in a straight line.

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mercia Academy (opposite), 110 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 98 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Mercia Academy issued 288 suspensions, 49.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Mercia Academy are Newhall Infant School (under 0.1 miles), Newhall Junior School (under 0.1 miles), Fairmeadows Foundation Primary School (0.5 miles) and Elmsleigh Infant & Nursery School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.