The Sir Donald Bailey Academy, Newark

From the headteacher's welcome: "All members of the staff team are extremely driven and focused on high standards of pupil achievement. However, our approach to ensure that we achieve this is through planning for meaningful cross-curricular learning opportunities in all National Curriculum subjects, where creativity, individuality and enjoyment are encouraged. We enrich the curriculum through a range of extra-curricular activities that we provide."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football and choir.

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care, from £2 per session.

In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at The Sir Donald Bailey Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 80% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Nottinghamshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (77% in reading, 84% in maths).

For September 2026 entry, 48 families put The Sir Donald Bailey Academy as their first choice and 69 named it as one of their preferences, for 49 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 primary schools to The Sir Donald Bailey Academy are The King's Church of England Primary Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 52% reading, 52% maths); Holy Trinity Catholic Voluntary Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 47% reading, 51% maths); John Hunt Academy (0.9 miles, Good, 65% reading, 76% maths); and Christ Church C of E Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 56% reading, 44% maths).

The Sir Donald Bailey Academy's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

The Sir Donald Bailey Academy is one of 8 schools run by The Forge Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

59.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 80 pupils (15.8%) received SEN support and 6 (1.2%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Newark Castle Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Trinity Road (adjacent), 100 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Sir Donald Bailey Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 218 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Nottinghamshire (101), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Sir Donald Bailey Academy issued 17 suspensions, 3.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to The Sir Donald Bailey Academy are Magnus Church of England Academy (0.6 miles), The Newark Academy (0.9 miles) and The Suthers School (1.9 miles).