Classpot

Nottingham Free School

Nottingham, NG5 1EBSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Nov 2022
Progress 8
+0.29
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.4×
Oversubscribed
160 1st-choice / 116 places
Ranking
#857
of 3,141 nationally

About Nottingham Free School

Nottingham Free School sits in the Nottingham local authority, where it ranks second out of 14 secondary schools on Progress 8, comfortably ahead of the local average. Its closest competitors in the authority are Fernwood School, The Trinity Catholic School A Voluntary Academy, and Bluecoat Wollaton Academy, but Nottingham Free School’s Progress 8 score of 0.29 puts it well above the Nottingham average of -0.25. The school is oversubscribed by a wide margin: for 2025/26, it received 489 applications for 116 places, with 160 families listing it as their first preference. That kind of demand suggests a strong local reputation. The school is a mixed, non-religious state secondary with a sixth form, led by headteacher Jo Simpson. It was rated Good by Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection in 2017, and an ungraded inspection in November 2022 confirmed it remains Good, with leadership and management judged Outstanding.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressThe Courtaulds Building, Nottingham, Nottingham, NG5 1EB
HeadteacherJo Simpson
Local AuthorityNottingham
Number of Pupils673
Free School Meals (FSM)25.4%
School Capacity673 / 626 (108% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

9 Nov 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (9 Nov 2022): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 24 Jul 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

12
Music RoomsSports HallTennis CourtsDining HallSwimming PoolPlaying FieldsAstro TurfTheatreLibraryScience LabsArt StudiosSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

14

Sports

FootballRugbyMartial ArtsRoundersHockeyNetballCross Country

Clubs & Activities

DebateOrchestraChessBook ClubArt ClubEco ClubDuke of Edinburgh

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultySevere LearningMulti-Sensory

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Source: nottinghamfreeschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Nottingham Free School

Nottingham Free School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.