Fernwood School

Fernwood School is performing exceptionally well, with an overall effectiveness rating of outstanding. The school's curriculum is ambitious and thoughtfully designed, catering to all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Teachers demonstrate expertise in their subjects and are dedicated to improving pupils' understanding and engagement. The supportive environment fostered by staff contributes to pupils' strong performance academically and personally. Furthermore, the school celebrates diversity and inclusivity, preparing pupils for life beyond school.

Strengths

• High academic achievement and well-rounded individual development
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
• Ambitious and constantly improving curriculum
• Exceptional behaviour and pride in work among pupils
• Robust careers programme preparing pupils for their future
• Engagement with diversity and provision of wider opportunities

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils lack a secure understanding of British values and their application in society

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Fernwood School attended 93.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 16.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 3.3% of pupils at Fernwood School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Fernwood School had 16.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 9.3% of pupils at Fernwood School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Fernwood School received £7,350 and spent £7,048 for each of its 1,539 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,067,000 (£693 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

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What is Fernwood School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Fernwood School is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Fernwood School last inspected by Ofsted?

Fernwood School was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Fernwood School have?

Fernwood School has 1,543 pupils on roll.

What age range does Fernwood School cover?

Fernwood School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Fernwood School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 54.6, and 66% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Fernwood School?

Fernwood School is at Goodwood Road, Wollaton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG8 2FT.