Nottingham Free School, Nottingham

In its own words: "Nottingham Free School has a very clear and distinctive ethos. Our culture aims to develop highly aspirant students and is centred on our passionate belief that every child can succeed. Our vision is to ensure all our students achieve a good career through university or equivalent training."

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

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

In 2026, pupils at Nottingham Free School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 52, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.4 in Nottingham and 47 across England.

61% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Nottingham and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 51.5.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.29: pupils made above 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 44.6, against 55.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 185 families put Nottingham Free School as their first choice and 487 named it as one of their preferences, for 120 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 73 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Nottingham Free School are Bluecoat Trent Academy (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.7); Djanogly City Academy (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 37); The Wells Academy (1.2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 38.7); and Ellis Guilford School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.5).

Nottingham Free School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Nottingham Free School 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.

Of the 111 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 47% to a further education college.

Of the 37 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 70% went on to university or other higher education and 16% into work. 6% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

In 2026, 75 pupils (10.7%) received SEN support and 17 (2.4%) 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 autism.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Basford Tram Stop, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Leonard Avenue, 150 metres away.

In 2024/25, Nottingham Free School issued 78 suspensions, 11.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to Nottingham Free School are Carrington Primary and Nursery School (0.4 miles), Claremont Primary and Nursery School (0.4 miles), Djanogly Sherwood Academy (0.4 miles) and Haydn Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.