Springwell Community College
104%
Capacity
881
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Springwell Community College
Springwell Community College is a mixed 11-16 state secondary in Chesterfield, part of the Derbyshire local authority. Among the 46 secondary schools in the county, it ranks 40th by Progress 8 score, placing it well behind the top local performers such as St Mary's Catholic High School, The Ecclesbourne School, and Brookfield Community School. Within Chesterfield itself, the school sits 8th out of 9 secondaries, a position that reflects the challenges it faces. The school is significantly oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 246 applications for 148 places and 139 first-preference offers, suggesting strong local demand despite the ranking. With 43% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the intake is notably disadvantaged compared to many neighbouring schools. The headteacher, Ian Wingfield, leads a school that has seen considerable recent change in its Ofsted rating.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024, Springwell was judged Good across all graded areas — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in June 2022. However, the school's academic outcomes remain below average. Its Progress 8 score of -0.56 is classified as 'Well below average' nationally and lags behind the Derbyshire LA average of -0.11. Attainment 8 sits at 36.7, and only 25.6% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 5 measure). The EBacc average point score is 3.21, with just 6.1% achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. Progress in English (-0.71) and open subjects (-0.72) is notably weaker than in maths (-0.3), suggesting uneven performance across the curriculum.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, tennis courts, sports hall, science labs, and a library, alongside clubs such as debate, orchestra, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. SEND provision covers seven areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. Parent View responses (141 respondents) show 74% would recommend the school, with strong majorities agreeing that children are happy (80% agree or strongly agree) and feel safe (83%). However, only 58% of SEND parents felt their child receives the support they need, and 35% disagreed that concerns are dealt with properly. The school is oversubscribed and has no sixth form or nursery provision. Springwell may suit families who value the recent Ofsted improvement and wide extracurricular offer, but who are realistic about the academic outcomes relative to higher-performing peers in the area.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Middlecroft Road, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, S43 3NQ |
| Headteacher | Ian Wingfield |
| Local Authority | Derbyshire |
| Number of Pupils | 881 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 43.0% |
| School Capacity | 881 / 850 (104% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Nov 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 10 Dec 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.56)
2693rd of 3,141
Nationally
231st of 273
In East Midlands
8th of 9
In Chesterfield
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2322%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 170 pupils).
- FE college54%
- School sixth form (stay)22%
- Not sustained11%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment5%
88% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Ofsted Parent View
141 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed148
246
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
139 families put this school as their 1st choice (57% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:05
Source: springwell.ttct.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British95.3%
- Mixed2.6%
- White (other)1.1%
- Asian0.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
7
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Springwell Community College
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Middlecroft Road, Chesterfield
Chesterfield, S43 3NQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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