The Python Hill Academy

The Python Hill Academy is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating across all key domains. The school has created a warm and welcoming environment where pupils feel safe and valued, receiving extensive praise from parents for their children's happiness and engagement. Significant improvements in standards of achievement have been made in core subjects like English and mathematics, even as the school shifts focus towards developing its curriculum in other areas. This is particularly commendable given that this is the school's first inspection since becoming an academy and the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Strengths

• Strong focus on the quality of education and curriculum improvement.
• High standards of achievement in English and mathematics.
• Strong early years curriculum supporting children's development.
• Effective support and care for pupils and families.
• Positive attitudes among pupils towards their learning and behaviour.
• Ambitious goals for pupils with SEND.

Areas for Improvement

• Incomplete implementation of the curriculum across all subjects.
• Limited understanding of a range of faiths and cultures in pupils.

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 The Python Hill Academy attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 0.0% of pupils at The Python Hill Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No 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 The Python Hill Academy had 17.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 18.2% of pupils at The Python Hill Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Python Hill Academy received £6,596 and spent £6,481 for each of its 307 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £501,000 (£1,636 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of The Forge Trust, income was £7,103 and spending £7,084 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 Mansfield · Nottinghamshire local authority: places and applications

The Python Hill Academy is part of The Forge Trust, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• The West Park Academy Nottingham
• Maun Infant and Nursery School Newark
• The Forest View Academy Newark
• The Parkgate Academy Newark
• The Sir Donald Bailey Academy Newark
• The St Augustine's Academy Worksop
• The Marton Academy Gainsborough

What is The Python Hill Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Python Hill Academy is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was The Python Hill Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Python Hill Academy was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does The Python Hill Academy have?

The Python Hill Academy has 307 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Python Hill Academy cover?

The Python Hill Academy for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are The Python Hill Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Python Hill Academy?

The Python Hill Academy is at Kirklington Road, Rainworth, Mansfield, NG21 0JZ.