The Newark Academy, Newark

In its own words: "Newark Academy has a very clear ethos focused on the achievement and well-being of all our students. We believe that a school should be at the very heart of the community and place great value on collaboration, partnership and service alongside a range of core values that compliment academic excellence."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We exist to provide our children with an education that ensures both great achievements and a good character. This combination gives our children every chance to flourish when they leave us. We have both the great privilege and the great responsibility of working with children to help them transform their lives."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, athletics, drama, choir, orchestra, ukulele, chess and STEM.

Coming up: an open evening on Tuesday 1 December 2026 at 5pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Newark Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.6 in Nottinghamshire and 47 across England.

53% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in Nottinghamshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 45.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.4: 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 39.5, against 51.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 224 families put The Newark Academy as their first choice and 485 named it as one of their preferences, for 207 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 33 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Newark Academy are Magnus Church of England Academy (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.4); and The Suthers School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.6).

The Newark Academy's 2026 results were higher than all 2 of them.

The Newark Academy 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.

180 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Newark Academy (as of September 2025): 87% would recommend the school, 86% say their child is happy there and 79% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (93%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (79%).

Of the 207 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 81% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 61% to a further education college, 7% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 62 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 40% went on to university or other higher education, 13% to apprenticeships and 32% into work. 17% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

In 2026, 392 pupils (33.7%) received SEN support and 32 (2.7%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Newark North Gate Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Newark Academy Bus Park (in), 110 metres away.

In 2024/25, The Newark Academy issued 202 suspensions, 17.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Newark Academy are John Hunt Academy (0.3 miles), Chuter Ede Primary School (0.6 miles), Barnby Road Academy Primary and Nursery school (0.8 miles) and The Sir Donald Bailey Academy (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.