The Wells Academy, Nottingham

Requires Improvement
Secondary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 1116

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.3km)Possible (~1.9km)Unlikely (~2.5km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr George Coles
Pupils:634 / 800 capacity
LA:Nottingham
Phone:01157483390
Address:Ransom Drive, Nottingham, NG3 5LR
Trust:GREENWOOD ACADEMIES TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2020

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Inspected 13 January 2026View full report
URN:147456
UKPRN:10084549
Constituency:Nottingham East
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The Wells Academy has created a warm, welcoming and inclusive environment where all pupils - regardless of background or needs - feel valued and part of a strong community. The school has invested significantly in staff training and uses proven teaching methods to help pupils learn well, with particular strength in supporting pupils who join the school with gaps in their education. Leaders work tirelessly to remove barriers to learning and attendance, resulting in improved exam results and high staff morale.

Key Strengths

  • Strong focus on building pupils' knowledge over time through well-organised curriculum with lots of opportunities to revisit key material
  • Effective support systems for pupils with additional needs, including well-trained inclusion team providing academic, emotional and social support
  • Substantial improvements in attendance and behaviour, with suspension rates declining significantly and disadvantaged pupils' attendance above national average
  • High-quality teaching following sustained staff training in research-informed approaches
  • Warm and inclusive school culture where pupils feel safe, valued and part of a strong community

Areas for Improvement

  • Teacher support in lessons does not always precisely target individual pupils' exact learning needs
  • Expanding enrichment activities and educational visits to increase opportunities for learning beyond the classroom
  • Ensuring adaptations in teaching are sufficiently precise for pupils needing support with foundational knowledge

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are fulfilled and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Basketball partnerships, visiting professors from universities, enrichment activities, work-related learning opportunities with employers and colleges, PSHE days, assemblies

The Wells Academy serves pupils in Nottingham and has made substantial improvements in recent years. The school achieves expected standards overall, with effective leadership ensuring pupils develop well and are well prepared for their next steps.

At a Glance

47.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

36 responses
Would recommend92%
Child is happy83%
Well taught89%
Good progress89%
Feels safe94%
Well behaved83%
Bullying dealt with22%
Kept informed69%
Handles concerns56%
Wider development81%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

23.6

Avg class size

28

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Social & online

Getting There

Bus Stops

Elliott Durham Nature Area (Stop SA40)
129m · 2 min walk
Ransom Road H&R (W-bound)
160m · 3 min walk
Walter Halls School (Stop SA41)
184m · 3 min walk
Boynton Drive (Stop SA39)
267m · 4 min walk
Woodborough Road (Stop SA43)
278m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

79%

Available places

634 pupils

800 capacity

166 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Nottingham

High pressure
New homes approved:17,146
Projected new pupils:3,086

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Nottingham

Admissions Demand - Nottingham

Low demand1.00x oversubscription

Places available

3,568

Applications

3,566

Got 1st preference

79.2%

Got preferred school

94.0%

Secondary admissions across Nottingham (2025/26)

Inspection History(2)

13 January 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
23 May 2023
Requires ImprovementReport
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.58214%

Overall absence

24.37086%

Persistent absence

755

Enrolments

Authorised4.33358%
Unauthorised3.24856%
Persistent (10%+)24.37086%
Severe (50%+)3.44371%

Absence trend

7.43733%
20/21
8.11248%
21/22
10.8587%
22/23
11.27044%
23/24
7.58214%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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