The Wells Academy

The Wells Academy is demonstrating commendable overall performance with effective leadership and a supportive environment for students. Pupils are achieving well from their individual starting points and the curriculum is helping to close knowledge gaps, particularly for students arriving with turbulent educational experiences. There is a strong focus on inclusion, particularly for disadvantaged students, resulting in positive outcomes across key indicators. However, published results in national examinations have shown variability, indicating areas requiring further improvement, especially for those with additional support needs.

Strengths

• Effective safeguarding standards are met, ensuring pupils feel safe.
• The curriculum is well-organized, enabling pupils to build knowledge over time.
• Leaders have established a positive culture emphasizing attendance and behavior.
• Pupils demonstrate respect for diversity and school values.
• Strong support systems for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Areas for Improvement

• Adaptations in teaching sometimes do not target the precise needs of all 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 Wells Academy attended 92.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 24.4% 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, 8.9% of pupils at The Wells Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 12 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 Wells Academy had 14.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.0% 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, 15.9% of pupils at The Wells Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.7% 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 The Wells Academy received £9,615 and spent £9,263 for each of its 708 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £719,000 (£1,016 per pupil).

Across all 37 schools of Greenwood Academies Trust, income was £8,670 and spending £8,578 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 Nottingham · Nottingham local authority: places and applications

The Wells Academy is part of Greenwood Academies Trust, which runs 38 schools. The nearest others:

• Nottingham Academy Nottingham
• Nottingham Girls' Academy Nottingham
• Nethergate Academy Nottingham
• Mansfield Primary Academy Mansfield
• The Brunts Academy Mansfield
• Skegby Junior Academy Sutton-In-Ashfield
• The Bramble Academy Mansfield
• Queensmead Primary Academy Leicester
• Studfall Infant Academy Corby
• Studfall Junior Academy Corby

What is The Wells Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Wells Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was The Wells Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Wells Academy was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does The Wells Academy have?

The Wells Academy has 634 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Wells Academy cover?

The Wells Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are The Wells Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 38.7, and 27% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Wells Academy?

The Wells Academy is at Ransom Drive, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG3 5LR.