The Dukeries Academy
102%
Capacity
762
Pupils
1.4x
Demand
About The Dukeries Academy
The Dukeries Academy in Newark and Sherwood was rated Good by Ofsted at its most recent graded inspection in 2016, and an ungraded visit in 2021 confirmed the school remains Good. The single most informative exam metric for this 11-16 secondary is its Progress 8 score of -0.28, which is below the national average and also below the Nottinghamshire local authority average of -0.11. This places the school in the bottom 50 nationally by this measure, ranking 28th out of 46 similar schools in the county. In the more local Newark and Sherwood area, it sits 4th out of 5 schools. The Attainment 8 score is 39.3, and just under half of pupils (46.2%) achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 28.2% reaching grade 5 or above. Only 12% of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects.
The school's Progress 8 banding is described as below average, and the score is consistent across English, maths, and the EBacc subjects, each sitting around -0.28. The EBacc average point score is 3.38. For context, the school has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 41.1%, which is significantly above the national average and likely a factor in its comparative outcomes. The school does not have a sixth form, so its small cohort of 24 post-16 pupils is not a core part of its offer; those students achieved an average points per entry of 17.78, equivalent to a D- grade, with a value added score of -1.02, described as well below average. The school's capacity is 750, and it currently has 762 pupils on roll, making it slightly oversubscribed.
The Dukeries Academy offers a wide range of facilities including science labs, a theatre, library, gymnasium, and playing fields, plus a chapel on site. Sports provision is strong with rowing, martial arts, swimming, and rugby among the options, alongside more typical tennis and cricket. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, coding, debate, and Young Enterprise. The school has a broad SEND offer, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 198 applications for 137 places, with 131 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.45. This is a school that suits families in the Newark area looking for a mainstream secondary with strong pastoral and SEND support, but where academic outcomes are below the local average and the focus may be more on personal development and extracurricular breadth.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Whinney Lane, Newark, Newark and Sherwood, NG22 9TD |
| Headteacher | Michael Brett |
| Local Authority | Nottinghamshire |
| Number of Pupils | 762 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 41.1% |
| School Capacity | 762 / 750 (102% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Oct 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (13 Oct 2021): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 7 Nov 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.28)
2199th of 3,141
Nationally
184th of 273
In East Midlands
4th of 5
In Newark and Sherwood
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
'21/22
32.4
'22/23
24.5
'23/24
17.8
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
2022/2326%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 102 pupils).
- FE college39%
- School sixth form (stay)26%
- Not sustained21%
- Employment8%
- Apprenticeship5%
78% 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
2022/2355%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 38 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
21%
Russell Group
26%
Top-third HE
3%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)55%
- Employment32%
- Not sustained11%
- Apprenticeship3%
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- Sociology9
- English Literature8
- Religious Studies6
- Biology4
- History4
- Media/Film/Tv Studies4
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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed137
198
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
131 families put this school as their 1st choice (66% 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 75% 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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British93.3%
- White (other)2.8%
- Mixed1.1%
- Asian0.2%
- Black0.1%
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.
5
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
4
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 The Dukeries 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
Whinney Lane, Newark
Newark and Sherwood, NG22 9TD
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