School profile

Quarrydale Academy

Secondary · Academy converter · Sutton-in-Ashfield, NG17 2DU

Requires improvement

Map showing Quarrydale Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,749 of 3,312

Worse than 82% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,198 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Quarrydale Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 7 May 2025

Area360 rating
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Sixth form provision
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,265
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Tim Paling
TrustQUARRYDALE ACADEMY
Local authorityNottinghamshire
Opened01 Feb 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137857.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolNottinghamshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.39.3, worse than England, worse than Nottinghamshire46.746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.51.1%, worse than England, worse than Nottinghamshire66.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.26.7%, worse than England, worse than Nottinghamshire47.6%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.4%, worse than England, worse than Nottinghamshire13.6%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths42.2%, worse than England, worse than Nottinghamshire61.8%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4225--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolNottinghamshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.34.17, similar to England, similar to Nottinghamshire34.6535
Average A-level gradeC+--
Average points, best three A-levels33.33, worse than England, similar to Nottinghamshire35.2435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better33.3%, better than England, better than Nottinghamshire16.5%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.3, better than England--
A-level progressAbove average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study56--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,265
Girls652
Boys613
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.38.2%
First language not English5.8%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,550
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.18.4%
Sixth form places2024/25110
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.169
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.19
Average class size21.5

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
83.6%
Other White
3.2%
Other mixed
1.6%
African
1.3%
White and Asian
0.8%
Indian
0.8%
Other Asian
0.7%
Other ethnic group
0.6%
White and Black Caribbean
0.5%
Pakistani
0.3%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher16.5
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.5
Teachers (FTE)76.7
Teaching assistants (FTE)18.61
Support staff (FTE)64.24
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2573.9
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2560.1
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/256
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/257.8

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.196
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.369
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.195
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.195
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolNottinghamshireEngland
Overall absence9.2%, worse than England, worse than Nottinghamshire7.9%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.26%, worse than England, worse than Nottinghamshire20.7%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.9%, similar to England, similar to Nottinghamshire3.5%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate39.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions14.5%
Permanent exclusion rate0.4%
Permanent exclusions5

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.93.4%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.86.7%
Further education51.7%
School sixth form34.1%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.5.7%
Apprenticeship4.3%
Employment2.4%
Sixth form college0.5%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.89.3%
Higher education62.7%
Employment21.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.10.7%
Apprenticeship1.3%
Further education0%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Quarrydale Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.5 miPrimaryBrierley Forest Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Inadequate
0.6 miPrimaryPriestsic Primary and Nursery SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 miPrimarySt Andrew's CofE Primary and Nursery SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.6 miPrimaryForest Glade Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryHealdswood Infants' and Nursery SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
0.8 miPrimarySkegby Junior AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.8 miPrimaryDalestorth Primary and Nursery SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimarySt Mary Magdalene CofE Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.9 miSecondarySutton Community AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
0.9 miPrimaryCroft Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement

Frequently asked questions about Quarrydale Academy

What is Quarrydale Academy's Ofsted rating?

Quarrydale Academy is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 7 May 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Quarrydale Academy rank in England?

Quarrydale Academy ranks 2,749 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 82% of schools) and 1,198 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are Quarrydale Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 26.7% of pupils at Quarrydale Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 39.3 (England 46.2).

What are Quarrydale Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Quarrydale Academy was C+, and 33.3% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Quarrydale Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Quarrydale Academy made 196 offers from 369 applications (1.9 per offer), and 195 of 195 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Quarrydale Academy?

Quarrydale Academy has 1,265 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Quarrydale Academy?

Quarrydale Academy had 1,550 school places in 2024/25.

Does Quarrydale Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, Quarrydale Academy has a sixth form with 110 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Quarrydale Academy?

At Quarrydale Academy, the average class had 21.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.5 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Quarrydale Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Quarrydale Academy missed 9.2% of sessions (England 8%), and 26% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.