The de Ferrers Academy
95%
Capacity
2,438
Pupils
1.3x
Demand
About The de Ferrers Academy
The de Ferrers Academy is a popular choice among local families, with 377 first-preference applications for 401 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 1.26 applicants per place. This level of demand suggests a strong reputation in the community, though no parent view survey data is available to confirm satisfaction directly. The school is a large mixed secondary and sixth form in East Staffordshire, part of the Staffordshire local authority, with a headteacher Alison Bickle at the helm. It has a capacity of 2,564 pupils and currently enrols 2,438, so there is some headroom. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 24.9%, which is above the national average, indicating a diverse intake. The school is non-religious and does not have a boarding offer, so it serves day students only.
Academically, the school holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023, with all inspected areas—quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision—all judged Good. At Key Stage 4, pupils achieved a Progress 8 score of 0.05, which is above the local authority average of -0.18, meaning students make slightly more progress than the typical pupil in Staffordshire. The Attainment 8 score sits at 45.4, and 64.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. Progress in maths is notably strong at 0.44, while English progress is slightly negative at -0.16. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.09, placing it in the Average band, with an average points per entry of 34.54 (equivalent to a C+ grade). The school ranks 2nd out of 8 schools in East Staffordshire by Progress 8, and 17th out of 75 similar schools across the whole local authority.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, science labs, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision includes football, rugby, cricket, athletics, dance, and rounders, while extracurricular clubs cover drama, art, gardening, eco club, Model UN, Young Enterprise, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The school has a comprehensive SEND offer, supporting students with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a practical choice for families whose children need additional support. Given its size and oversubscription, families should apply early and list it as a first preference to maximise their chance of a place. The school suits those looking for a large, well-resourced academy with strong maths progress and a broad extracurricular programme.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | St Mary's Drive, Burton-on-Trent, East Staffordshire, DE13 0LL |
| Headteacher | Alison Bickle |
| Local Authority | Staffordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 2,438 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.9% |
| School Capacity | 2,438 / 2,564 (95% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 3 Dec 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.05)
1401st of 3,141
Nationally
143rd of 371
In West Midlands
2nd of 8
In East Staffordshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
39.5
'22/23
34.1
'23/24
34.5
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2343%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 348 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)43%
- FE college41%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained5%
- Employment4%
95% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2360%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 255 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
21%
Russell Group
25%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)60%
- Employment22%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained4%
- Further education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics54
- Business Studies:Single46
- Psychology46
- Biology43
- Sociology40
- Economics27
- History25
- Chemistry23
- Geography21
- English Language18
- English Literature18
- Design and Technology (Product Design)14
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed401
507
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
377 families put this school as their 1st choice (74% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British56.0%
- Asian26.4%
- White (other)8.0%
- Mixed5.1%
- Black0.2%
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.
8
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
7
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About The de Ferrers Academy
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
St Mary's Drive, Burton-on-Trent
East Staffordshire, DE13 0LL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at The de Ferrers Academy!
Write a Review