Schools by area › Nottingham › Nottingham Free School
Nottingham Free School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Free school
The Courtaulds Building, 290 Haydn Road, Nottingham NG5 1EB · nottinghamfreeschool.co.uk · 0115 896 4949
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Nov 2022
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 51.5
- average Attainment 8 score. Nottingham 43, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.5
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 699
- 73 over 626 places · 112%
- Local authority
- Nottingham
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 27.8%
- First language not English
- 15.6%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Nova Education Trust
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 185 families put the school first and 120 places were offered; 61% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 120 | 185 | 1.5▲ | 61% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 116 | 160 | 1.4▲ | 66% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 120 | 184 | 1.5▲ | 61% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 120 | 190 | 1.6▲ | 59% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 120 | 214 | 1.8▲ | 55% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 51.5, and 54.6% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Nottingham it was 43, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (31.1 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲51.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲54.6% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲79.0% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲64.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.84 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 32.4 | −24 |
| Sixth form college | 14.4 | +6.5 |
| Further education | 46.8 | +17.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 4.5 | +1.5 |
| Activity not captured | 1.8 | +0.8 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 students | C (31.1) | Average -0.14 | |
| 31 students | C (31.2) | Average -0.14 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 36 | B- (35.6) | +0.17 |
| 2022/23 | 16 | C+ (34) | — |
| 2021/22 | 33 | B- (35.7) | — |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 70.3 | +17.4 |
| Other education | 5.4 | −9.3 |
| Employment | 16.2 | +1.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 2.7 | −6.1 |
| Activity not captured | 5.4 | −3.4 |
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 9 November 2022, Ofsted’s outcome for Nottingham Free School was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 8 Nov 2022
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jun 2017
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Jun 2017Good
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Outstanding Safeguarding Effective
What parents said
84% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (83 replies, to 4 September 2023).
- Recommend
- 84%
- Replies
- 83
- 13% · 4 Sept 2023
based on the 83% who raised concerns
based on the 28% who had a child bullied
based on 18 parents (22%) with SEND