The Ripley Academy, Ripley

In 2026, pupils at The Ripley Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.2 in Derbyshire and 47 across England.

36% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Derbyshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 44.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.21: pupils made below 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 38.9, against 45.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 149 families put The Ripley Academy as their first choice and 222 named it as one of their preferences, for 149 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Ripley Academy are Swanwick Hall School (2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.1); John Flamsteed Community School (2.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.4); Aldercar High School (2.5 miles, Attainment 8 38.3); and Heanor Gate Spencer Academy (2.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 43.4).

The Ripley Academy's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

The Ripley Academy is one of 24 schools run by East Midlands Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51.3 in 2024/25.

93 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Ripley Academy (as of September 2025): 67% would recommend the school, 77% say their child is happy there and 44% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (79%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (44%).

Of the 125 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 77% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 45% to a further education college, 11% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 66 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 35% went on to university or other higher education, 15% to apprenticeships and 35% into work. 3% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

2.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 113 pupils (12.3%) received SEN support and 27 (2.9%) 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 autism.

The Ripley Academy had 68 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Langley Mill Rail Station, about 3.1 miles away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Academy (adjacent), 140 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 146 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Ripley Academy issued 87 suspensions, 9.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Ripley Academy are Ripley St John's Church of England Primary School and Nursery (0.4 miles), Waingroves Primary School (0.4 miles), Codnor Community Primary School Church of England Controlled (0.6 miles) and Ripley Junior School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.