Tibshelf Community School, Alfreton

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Tibshelf Community School on 6 areas: 1 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school provides a personal development programme that prioritises pupils' wellbeing and prepares pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), very well for their lives in modern Britain."

Achievement - Expected standard. "The school prepares pupils well for their next steps."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils enjoy their time at the school."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum is ambitious."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school quickly and accurately identifies when pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders act as excellent role models for staff and pupils."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue their work to ensure consistent delivery of the curriculum across the school so that pupils achieve the best possible outcomes in all subjects"; "Leaders should ensure that they routinely and accurately monitor all aspects of their work to assure themselves that the strategies they employ are impactful".

In its own words: "Tibshelf Community School strives to be an outstanding learning community in which individuals are inspired, challenged and supported to become effective global citizens in the 21st century. We work together as a professional community to ensure the best outcomes for all"

From the headteacher's welcome: "Tibshelf Community School is an inclusive 11-16 Comprehensive School serving a large semi-rural area of North East Derbyshire. Our Governing Principle embodies our ambition and reflects our determination to never be complacent but to continually aim high in everything we do."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, badminton, dance and drama.

Coming up: an open evening on Friday 11 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Tibshelf Community School 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.

45% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Derbyshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 44.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.14: 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 35, against 46.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 165 families put Tibshelf Community School as their first choice and 287 named it as one of their preferences, for 167 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Tibshelf Community School are Frederick Gent School (2.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.5); David Nieper Academy (3.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.2); Quarrydale Academy (3.6 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 39.3); and Tupton Hall School (3.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.4).

Tibshelf Community School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

118 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Tibshelf Community School (as of April 2026): 81% would recommend the school, 78% say their child is happy there and 61% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (86%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (61%).

Of the 148 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 78% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 56% to a further education college, 9% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

34.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 1.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 191 pupils (22.9%) received SEN support and 43 (5.2%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Tibshelf Community School has a resourced provision for autism: 15 places, 13 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Alfreton Rail Station, about 2.8 miles away in a straight line.

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

In August 2026, police recorded 27 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Derbyshire (50).

In 2024/25, Tibshelf Community School issued 121 suspensions, 14.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Tibshelf Community School are Town End Junior School (0.2 miles), Tibshelf Infant School (0.6 miles), Newton Primary School (0.9 miles) and Pilsley Primary School (1.2 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.