The Minster School, Southwell

In its own words: "Situated in the attractive market town of Southwell, Nottinghamshire, the Minster School is a comprehensive school of 1600 students with a catchment including local villages alongside the town of Southwell itself."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Thank you for showing an interest in the Minster School. Committed to both tradition and also a contemporary education for all, the school strives to provide excellent learning to its students, both academically and in terms of moral and personal development. Our motto is "Succeeding Together" , with students, staff and families working in partnership to achieve excellence."

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 4 November 2026 and an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Minster School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 55.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.6 in Nottinghamshire and 47 across England.

63% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in Nottinghamshire and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 55.9.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.3: 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 37.8, against 57.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 20.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2024 entry, 256 families put The Minster School as their first choice and 494 named it as one of their preferences, for 231 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 27 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The Minster School is one of 14 schools run by Minster Trust for Education, an academy trust.

Of the 232 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 26% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 202 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 56% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 28% into work. 28% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

9.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 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 (86%) and Mixed (5%).

In 2026, 107 pupils (6.6%) received SEN support and 26 (1.6%) 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 railway station is Fiskerton Rail Station, about 2 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Minster School Bus Park (in), 40 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Minster School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 8th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 26 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, vehicle crime and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Nottinghamshire (101).

In 2024/25, The Minster School issued 125 suspensions, 7.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Minster School are Holy Trinity CofE Infant School (0.2 miles), Lowe's Wong Infant School (0.5 miles), Lowe's Wong Anglican Methodist Junior School (0.5 miles) and Halam Church of England Primary School (1.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.