Schools by area › Derbyshire › Mercia Academy
Mercia Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Sunnyside, Newhall, Swadlincote DE11 0TL · merciaacademy.org.uk · 01283 216404
On the mapSearch near DE11 0TL
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Jul 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 32.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Derbyshire 45, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 592
- 79% of 750 places
- Local authority
- Derbyshire
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 48.3%
- First language not English
- 3%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 114 families put the school first and 138 places were offered; 100% 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 | 138 | 114 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 103 | 77 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 107 | 79 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 128 | 78 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 118 | 60 | 0.5 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 32.6, and 23.2% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Derbyshire it was 45, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼32.6 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼23.2% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼36.6% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼5.4% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.64 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 112938)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 16.9 | −1.7 |
| Further education | 64 | +7.2 |
| Other education | 1.1 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 4.5 | −2.3 |
| Employment | 2.2 | −2.9 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.9 | −0.6 |
| Activity not captured | 3.4 | 0 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Mercia Academy on 1 July 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 1 Jul 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, May 2022
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 112938), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
May 2022Requires improvement
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 112938)
- Feb 2022Monitoring visitEffective action
- Mar 2021Monitoring visitEffective action
Before September 2019
Sept 2018Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 112938)
Jul 2016Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 112938)
Apr 2014Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 112938)
What parents said
61% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (31 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 61%
- Replies
- 31
- 5% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 87% who raised concerns
based on the 52% who had a child bullied
based on 10 parents (32%) with SEND