Swanwick Hall School

Swanwick Hall School is performing at a good overall level, demonstrating effective leadership and a broad curriculum that engages students across various subjects. The school has high expectations for its pupils, who generally feel safe and supported. Although there are notable strengths, particularly in the sixth-form provision and personal development, concerns have been raised regarding behaviour management and attendance, especially among vulnerable students. This inspection represents the school's first routine evaluation since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing context for some of the challenges encountered.

Strengths

• Broad and ambitious curriculum with a wide range of subjects
• Strong sixth-form provision with effective teacher-student relationships
• Implementation of a new assessment and feedback approach
• Effective strategies for supporting students' personal development
• Active participation in extracurricular activities

Areas for Improvement

• Behaviour management strategies are not consistently effective for all students
• Some pupils do not attend school regularly, missing out on learning
• Strategic oversight of SEND support is not fully embedded

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 Swanwick Hall School attended 90.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 25.6% 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, 12.4% of pupils at Swanwick Hall School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Swanwick Hall School had 17.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.5% 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, 14.5% of pupils at Swanwick Hall School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.1% 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 Swanwick Hall School received £8,395 and spent £7,947 for each of its 1,098 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,139,000 (£1,037 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of The Two Counties Trust, income was £8,024 and spending £7,827 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.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Alfreton · Derbyshire local authority: places and applications

Swanwick Hall School is part of The Two Counties Trust, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• Frederick Gent School Alfreton
• Selston High School Nottingham
• Ashfield Comprehensive School Nottingham
• Allestree Woodlands School Derby
• The Manor Academy Mansfield
• Friesland School Sandiacre
• Wilsthorpe School Nottingham
• Springwell Community College Chesterfield
• Heritage High School Chesterfield

What is Swanwick Hall School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Swanwick Hall School is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Swanwick Hall School last inspected by Ofsted?

Swanwick Hall School was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Swanwick Hall School have?

Swanwick Hall School has 1,025 pupils on roll.

What age range does Swanwick Hall School cover?

Swanwick Hall School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Swanwick Hall School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 44.1, and 37% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Swanwick Hall School?

Swanwick Hall School is at Derby Road, Swanwick, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 1AE.