Chellaston Academy

Chellaston Academy has made significant improvements since its previous inadequate inspection, now achieving a good overall effectiveness rating. The school emphasizes a broad and ambitious curriculum, coupled with high academic expectations, which contributes to a well-rounded educational experience for pupils. The positive school culture, highlighted by the ICE (integrity, care and excellence) values, supports both personal and academic growth, and pupils feel safe and happy in their environment. Parents express strong satisfaction with the school's impact on their children's progress, noting improvements in confidence and academic achievement.

Strengths

• Broad and ambitious curriculum with high academic expectations
• Strong subject knowledge and effective teaching methods
• Implementation of ICE values that foster a positive school culture
• Effective support for pupils with SEND through tailored interventions
• Positive feedback from students about sixth-form education
• Strong careers education and personal development provisions

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent depth in curriculum understanding in some areas
• Occasional overload of information leading to reduced learning effectiveness
• Some groups of pupils have attendance issues impacting their education

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 Chellaston Academy attended 92.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 15.3% 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, 5.2% of pupils at Chellaston Academy 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 Chellaston Academy had 16.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.9% 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, 12.2% of pupils at Chellaston Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.8% 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 Chellaston Academy received £7,046 and spent £7,343 for each of its 1,818 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,278,000 (£703 per pupil).

Across all 15 schools of Tapestry Learning Partnership, income was £8,269 and spending £8,367 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 Derby · Derby local authority: places and applications

Chellaston Academy is part of Tapestry Learning Partnership, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• City of Derby Academy Derby
• Springfield Junior School Swadlincote
• Kensington Junior Academy Ilkeston
• Laceyfields Academy Heanor
• Langley Mill Academy Nottingham
• Djanogly Strelley Academy Nottingham
• Djanogly City Academy Nottingham
• Djanogly Northgate Academy Nottingham
• Djanogly Sherwood Academy Nottingham
• Springfield Academy Nottingham

What is Chellaston Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chellaston Academy is Good, from an inspection in October 2023.

When was Chellaston Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Chellaston Academy was last inspected in October 2023.

How many pupils does Chellaston Academy have?

Chellaston Academy has 1,790 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chellaston Academy cover?

Chellaston Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Chellaston Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 53.1, and 56% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Chellaston Academy?

Chellaston Academy is at Swarkestone Road, Derby, Derbyshire, DE73 5UB.