Swanwick School and Sports College, Alfreton
Swanwick School and Sports College is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Alfreton. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Swanwick School and Sports College in detail
Swanwick School and Sports College in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am incredibly proud to be the Headteacher of Swanwick School and Sports College, a vibrant and ambitious special school where pupils are supported to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. At Swanwick School and Sports College, we combine high-quality teaching with a wide range of enrichment opportunities that help pupils develop confidence, resilience and independence."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Swanwick School and Sports College are Alfreton Park Community Special School (1.5 miles, Good); Jasmine House School (4.5 miles, Good); and Progression 2 Work (5.8 miles, Requires improvement).
Alfreton Park Community Special SchoolJasmine House SchoolProgression 2 Work
What parents say
17 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Swanwick School and Sports College (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school and 100% say their child is happy there.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (88%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 13 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 54% to a further education college and 8% into work.
Who goes there
60.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Swanwick School and Sports College has an education, health and care plan (101 of 101 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Swanwick School and Sports College provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Alfreton Rail Station, about 2 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Gate (adjacent), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Swanwick School and Sports College stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 82 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Swanwick School and Sports College issued 7 suspensions, 7.4 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Swanwick is a caring, supportive school where pupils thrive academically and personally. Staff have high expectations of every pupil and help them develop important skills in reading, writing, communication and mathematics. The school excellently prepares pupils for adult life through strong careers guidance and work experience, with almost all students moving successfully into appropriate education, employment or training.
Key Strengths
- Pupils have extremely positive attitudes to learning and behave exceptionally well in class and around school
- Staff use secure subject knowledge to present information clearly and give useful feedback
- High-quality careers education from primary age onwards, with almost all pupils moving to appropriate education, employment or training
- Leaders have a clear vision and take effective action to sustain performance across all areas
- Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a strong safeguarding culture
Areas for Improvement
- Improving attendance remains a school priority, though most pupils attend very well
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective with a strong safeguarding culture and open, positive approach that puts pupils' interests first.
Swanwick School and Sports College is a special school that has successfully maintained its outstanding standards. Pupils enjoy school, feel safe, and are exceptionally well-behaved with strong attendance.
At a Glance
60.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Hearing +6
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
17 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Swanwick School and Sports College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Swanwick School and Sports College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Swanwick School and Sports College is in Derbyshire; for families living there:
- Derbyshire's school travel policy: Home to school transport policy 2026 to 2027 - 465KB
- How to apply: Apply for home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 8 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
4 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 Derbyshire is 6 (the median across 454 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
101%
Over capacity
101 pupils
100 places
1 pupil over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Alfreton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Alfreton
Across Derbyshire council
Places available
8,818
Applications
7,971
Got 1st preference
94.5%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Derbyshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
101
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Swanwick School and Sports College provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
101
Total Pupils
74
Boys
27
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
4.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£58,000
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.8%
Overall absence
24.5%
Persistent absence
94
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
Swanwick School and Sports College
Showing 10 of 11 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Swanwick School and Sports College
What are GCSE results like at Swanwick School and Sports College?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Swanwick School and Sports College achieved an Attainment 8 score of 5.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Swanwick School and Sports College's Ofsted rating?
Swanwick School and Sports College's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Swanwick School and Sports College?
No fixed boundary. When Swanwick School and Sports College is oversubscribed, Derbyshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Swanwick School and Sports College?
Swanwick School and Sports College has around 101 pupils on roll. 60% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Swanwick School and Sports College have specialist SEN provision?
Swanwick School and Sports College provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Swanwick School and Sports College?
12.8% of sessions were missed at Swanwick School and Sports College in 2024/25. 24.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Swanwick School and Sports College?
Apply through Derbyshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Swanwick School and Sports College 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 Swanwick School and Sports College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 8 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 4 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 Derbyshire is 6 (the median across 454 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Swanwick School and Sports College?
Swanwick School and Sports College is at Hayes Lane, Swanwick, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 1AR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)