The Pingle Academy
100%
Capacity
1,375
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About The Pingle Academy
The Pingle Academy is a popular choice among local families, with 403 applications for 220 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.83. Of those, 214 first-preference offers were made from 237 first-preference applications, indicating strong demand. The school does not publish a parent recommendation percentage, but the high application numbers suggest a solid reputation in South Derbyshire. Headteacher Michelle Oliphant leads this mixed, non-denominational secondary school and sixth form, which has a capacity of 1,376 and currently enrols 1,375 pupils. A third of its students (33.9%) are eligible for free school meals, reflecting a diverse intake. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021 rated it Good overall, with Good marks across all categories including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This was a notable improvement from its 2015 inspection, when it was rated Requires Improvement.
Academically, the school’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.11, which is exactly in line with the Derbyshire local authority average. This places it in the ‘Average’ band nationally, ranking 20th out of 46 schools of the same type in the county. Its Attainment 8 score of 42.3 is modest, and the basics measure (grade 4 or above in English and maths) stands at 65.3%, dropping to 46.8% at the stronger grade 5 threshold. Only 7.9% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, and just 3.8% achieved it at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the school’s value-added score of -0.46 is rated ‘Below average’, with an average A-level grade of C- and 27.43 points per entry. The best three A-levels averaged a grade of C, and only 4.2% of students achieved AAB or higher. Progress in maths at KS4 was a relative bright spot at +0.31, while English progress was flat at +0.02.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, astro turf, gymnasium, science labs, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision is varied, with rowing, swimming, cricket, gymnastics, tennis, dance, and basketball on offer. Clubs and activities are plentiful, from film and book clubs to Model UN, debate, choir, orchestra, and Young Enterprise. The school’s SEND provisions are extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a potentially good fit for families seeking a large, inclusive secondary with strong pastoral support and a sixth form. The school is oversubscribed, so applying as a first preference is advisable. Its improvement trajectory from Requires Improvement to Good, combined with average progress scores, suggests a stable, improving environment rather than an elite academic one.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Coronation Street, Swadlincote, South Derbyshire, DE11 0QA |
| Headteacher | Michelle Oliphant |
| Local Authority | Derbyshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,375 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 33.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,375 / 1,376 (100% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Oct 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 23 Nov 2021. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.11)
1792nd of 3,141
Nationally
146th of 273
In East Midlands
3rd of 3
In South Derbyshire
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
35.2
'22/23
27.8
'23/24
27.4
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
2022/2341%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 187 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)41%
- FE college41%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained6%
- Employment2%
94% 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
2022/2363%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 93 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
14%
Russell Group
16%
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)63%
- Employment24%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained4%
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- Psychology54
- Sociology34
- Law23
- Biology22
- Business Studies:Single22
- Mathematics20
- English Literature15
- History14
- Chemistry13
- English Language10
- Computer Studies / Computing9
- Geography9
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
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed220
403
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
237 families put this school as their 1st choice (59% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British89.6%
- White (other)3.3%
- Mixed2.5%
- Asian0.8%
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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
11
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
9
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Pingle 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
Coronation Street, Swadlincote
South Derbyshire, DE11 0QA
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 Pingle Academy!
Write a Review