The de Ferrers Academy, Burton-on-Trent

From the headteacher's welcome: "Our ambition is to be a beacon of excellence at the heart of our community: a place where everyone feels valued, included, supported, and proud to belong. We set the bar high, academically, socially, and personally, and we make no apologies for this."

In 2026, pupils at The de Ferrers Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.7 in Staffordshire and 47 across England.

48% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 39% in Staffordshire and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 46.5.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.05: pupils made about 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 38.1, against 49.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Sports Studies and History.

For September 2026 entry, 375 families put The de Ferrers Academy as their first choice and 512 named it as one of their preferences, for 398 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 The de Ferrers Academy are Abbot Beyne School (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.4); Paulet High School (2.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.7); Paget High School (3.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.4); and Blessed Robert Sutton Catholic Voluntary Academy (3.2 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 47).

The de Ferrers Academy's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

The de Ferrers Academy is one of 7 schools run by Affinity Learning Partnership, an academy trust.

Of the 399 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 39% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 228 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 63% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 16% into work. 17% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

28.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (54%), Asian (27%) and Mixed (6%).

In 2026, 272 pupils (11.3%) received SEN support and 46 (1.9%) 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 1.6 miles away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Marks Road (opposite), 160 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 162 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 Staffordshire (86), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The de Ferrers Academy issued 237 suspensions, 9.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The de Ferrers Academy are Outwoods Primary School (0.4 miles), Burton Fields School (0.4 miles), Eton Park Junior Academy (0.5 miles) and St Modwen's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.