Noel-Baker Academy, Derby

Ofsted's report card from its 30 June 2026 inspection grades Noel-Baker Academy on 6 areas: 3 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have created an inclusive culture at this school where pupils are well known as individuals."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Significant changes in leadership have reshaped the direction and pace of improvement across the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have reshaped the school's culture so that personal development and wellbeing are central to pupils' experience."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Examination results remain below national averages, and overall, pupils' progress is not yet in line with their peers nationally."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Attendance is not as high as it should be, and too many pupils continue to miss valuable learning time."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Leaders have strengthened the curriculum and teaching by establishing clear and consistent expectations."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that gaps in achievement for disadvantaged pupils close securely and consistently across the curriculum"; "Leaders should ensure adaptive teaching strategies are consistently embedded in classroom practice so pupils' needs are precisely met, enabling all groups to access the curriculum fully and make strong, sustained progress"; "Leaders should ensure teachers use assessment skilfully to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge, build on pupils' prior learning and give pupils opportunities to practise and improve their work"; "Leaders should ensure attendance strategies have sustained impact, improving overall attendance and reducing persistent absence"; "Leaders should ensure that agreed approaches to help pupils catch up and keep up following a period of absence are used consistently well, preventing pupils from developing gaps in knowledge that negatively impact achievement"; "Leaders should continue to strengthen and develop middle leaders, particularly those new in post, so they can drive improvement with confidence and precision, sustaining the current improvement trajectory".

In its own words: "At Noel-Baker Academy, everything we do is underpinned by our belief that students are entitled to the very best breadth and depth of provision. We are proud of our students and our community and are determined that every member of the Noel-Baker Academy community will strive to be extraordinary. At Noel-Baker, we lead by example."

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

In 2026, pupils at Noel-Baker Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 35.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 42.7 in Derby and 47 across England.

28% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 37% in Derby and 47% in England.

That is down from 36.3 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 28.9, against 40.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 210 families put Noel-Baker Academy as their first choice and 379 named it as one of their preferences, for 257 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 Noel-Baker Academy are Alvaston Moor Academy (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 33.6); Chellaston Academy (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 53.1); UTC Derby Pride Park (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.5); and City of Derby Academy (2.3 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 31.8).

Noel-Baker Academy's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Noel-Baker Academy is one of 27 schools run by L.e.a.d. Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 137 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 77% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 65% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

48.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 8.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (71%), Mixed (9%) and Asian (6%).

The nearest railway station is Peartree Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Noel Baker School (adjacent), 130 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Noel-Baker Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Noel-Baker Academy issued 568 suspensions, 45.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Noel-Baker Academy are Oak Grange Primary School (0.4 miles), Landau Forte Academy Moorhead (0.5 miles), Oakwood Junior School (0.6 miles) and Shelton Infant School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.