Outwood Academy Newbold Review 2026: A structured 11 to 18 academy with a broad Post 16 pathway

A clear daily structure shapes life at Outwood Academy Newbold. The timetable includes a dedicated Personal Development and Growth slot alongside five taught periods, which signals a deliberate balance between academic learning and wider development. The wider offer is also visible after lessons, with an elective enrichment programme that spans sport, creative subjects and academic support.

Leadership is stable. Rob Southern is listed as Principal, with a start date shown as 01 September 2020 in governance information.

The most recent Ofsted inspection took place on 22 November 2022 and the school is currently rated Good.

The academy sits within the Outwood Grange Academies Trust, and the trust’s operational style is evident in the emphasis on routines, consistent expectations and a purposeful day. The school’s own messaging places student experience at the centre, with a stated focus on raising standards and transforming lives, and it confirms that the academy joined the Outwood family in 2015.

Personal development is not treated as an add-on. A specific Personal Development and Growth period is built into the school day, and the wider student engagement offer references roles such as Student Voice, Sustainability, Anti-bullying Ambassadors and Mental Wellbeing Ambassadors. The implication for families is a school trying to make character education practical rather than purely aspirational, particularly for students who benefit from clear routines and defined responsibilities.

Support for additional needs is a defined feature. The school has an Autism Resource Centre (ARC) provision; the most recent inspection report records 16 pupils in the ARC at the time of inspection, and the school also sets out an ARC vision focused on confidence, independence and successful participation in wider society. For families considering mainstream with specialist capacity, this matters because it suggests the academy is set up for a blended experience rather than a purely generic mainstream model.

At GCSE level, the academy’s performance sits within the middle band nationally, with outcomes that look solid rather than headline grabbing. The school is ranked 1,624nd in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 3rd locally within Chesterfield. This places performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

Academic measures also show some strengths. The average Attainment 8 score is 48.5, the average EBacc APS is 4.25, and Progress 8 is +0.38, which indicates students make above average progress from their starting points.

The sixth form picture is more challenging. A-level outcomes sit below England averages: 31.25% of grades were A* to B (England average 47.2%), and 10.94% were A* to A (England average 23.6%). The sixth form is ranked 2,110th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 4th locally within Chesterfield. That places the sixth form below England average overall. For many families this will not be disqualifying, but it does frame the sixth form as a broad local option with multiple pathways, rather than a results-driven A-level specialist.

A practical implication follows for students choosing Post 16 routes. Those aiming for the most selective universities will usually need strong independent study habits and consistent academic momentum. The school does signal targeted support through named programmes and structured enrichment, which can help, but the outcomes data suggests families should ask detailed questions about subject-level performance and teaching stability in their chosen courses.

Curriculum intent is presented as broad and ambitious, with schemes sequenced across either a five year model or a two year model for certain option subjects. The language used is strongly focused on mapping what students should know and be able to do at each stage, which typically translates into consistent lesson structures and a clear learning journey, particularly helpful for students who like clarity and predictable routines.

The Ofsted inspection report also describes an ambitious, well sequenced curriculum and a trust model that supports curriculum, safeguarding and attendance. Where improvement is needed, the report points to ensuring students revisit learning enough to secure key knowledge before moving to more complex tasks, which is a very specific teaching and learning challenge. This is relevant for parents because it affects whether learning sticks across subjects, especially for students who need careful scaffolding.

Post 16 curriculum breadth is a clear strength. The sixth form publishes a wide menu including A-level subjects such as Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, English Language, English Literature, Psychology and Sociology, alongside vocational options such as BTEC Sport and Performing Arts, and T-levels including Animal Care and Health. This range supports different learner profiles, including students who want a vocationally aligned pathway while still remaining within a school sixth form environment.

Where Students Go Next

For families thinking beyond Year 11, the leaver destination data provides a grounded picture of the academy’s outcomes after sixth form. For the 2023/24 cohort (78 leavers), 44% progressed to university, 15% began apprenticeships, 27% entered employment, and 4% progressed to further education. This distribution suggests a sixth form that supports multiple routes, with apprenticeships and employment forming a meaningful share of destinations rather than being marginal.

Oxbridge outcomes are present but small in scale, with two applications and one acceptance recorded in the measurement period. The implication is that highly selective university applications are possible, but are likely to be individual and highly supported cases rather than a large annual pipeline.

The school also references a structured approach to aspiration for targeted students through Elephant Access, described as a programme designed to help students access the most selective universities through a minimum entitlement of activities and experiences. For the right student, this can be an important supplement to classroom teaching, particularly where outcomes depend on super-curricular work, admissions tests and interview preparation.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through Derbyshire County Council, using the Local Authority common application process rather than direct applications to the academy. The published admissions policy for 2026/27 states that the common application form must be completed and returned by 31 October 2025, and it also confirms 180 places available for Year 7 in September 2026. Oversubscription is then resolved through clear criteria, with distance used as a tie-breaker when applicants cannot otherwise be separated within a priority category.

Derbyshire’s published timeline gives additional clarity. Applications open online on 08 September 2025 and close at midnight on 31 October 2025, with National Offer Day on 02 March 2026. For families planning the application, this removes ambiguity, and it also highlights the risk of late applications, which are typically processed after on-time applications.

Demand is meaningful. In the latest available admissions dataset for this review, the school is oversubscribed with 403 applications for 172 offers, which equates to around 2.34 applications per place. The proportion of first preferences relative to first preference offers is 1.03, which suggests that the academy is a serious first choice for many families rather than a fallback option. Where families sit on the boundary of likely allocation, using a precise distance tool can help with realism when shortlisting.

Sixth form admissions are handled directly through the Post 16 application process. For the September 2026 intake, the published timeline lists a Post 16 open evening held in late November 2025, an application deadline of 18 December 2025, interviews running through early 2026, and taster days in late June 2026. Entry expectations include five passes including English and mathematics, with passes defined as GCSE grades 9 to 4 (or equivalent). These dates are specific to that cycle; families should check the current year’s calendar for the next intake.

Safeguarding leadership is clearly named on the school’s published information, with a designated safeguarding lead and deputy safeguarding lead identified. This matters less as a marketing point and more as evidence of clear accountability, including for issues such as bullying and peer-on-peer concerns.

Support for students with autism is a specific feature through the ARC. The inspection report confirms the ARC’s existence and records cohort size at the time, while the academy’s own description frames this support around confidence, independence and life skills. For families whose child needs structured support but also wants to be part of a mainstream peer group, this type of provision can be a strong fit, assuming the individual student’s needs align with the ARC model and staffing.

Personal development content is a clear strand of the overall approach, including “Life” lessons referenced in the inspection report. The improvement priority highlighted there is that some key stage 4 students did not feel those lessons met their needs, with a call for more meaningful discussion and student voice in shaping content. For parents, this is a useful prompt to ask how personal development is delivered now, and how feedback from students is gathered and acted upon.

Enrichment appears both broad and organised. The academy describes a programme of trips, visits, commemorations and charity work, alongside elective after school enrichment that spans sporting, performance, craft, social and academic opportunities. It also flags structured student roles such as Student Voice and Sustainability, which tends to appeal to students who like responsibility and defined pathways to leadership.

The enrichment timetable itself includes concrete, named options. Recent published examples include Newspaper Club, Linguistics Club, Creative Writing Club, KS3 Science Club, Singing Club, Keyboard Club, and sports options such as basketball and badminton, alongside subject and year specific academic support sessions. This kind of menu matters because it suggests students can find a niche quickly, including those who do not see sport as their main identity.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is also part of the wider offer, with Bronze, Silver and Gold referenced within the academy’s information and communications. For students who respond well to structured long-term goals and incremental achievement, DofE can provide a meaningful anchor, especially when paired with volunteering and leadership opportunities.

Post 16 enrichment adds further texture. Sport enrichment references activities such as badminton, basketball, dance, yoga and sports leadership, and it also references coaching linked to a Chesterfield Football Club partnership. Where delivered well, this sort of structured enrichment can strengthen personal statements, apprenticeships applications and employability skills.

The published school day runs from a first period starting at 08:30 through to Period 5 ending at 14:55, with Personal Development and Growth and year group lunch arrangements built into the middle of the day. Families should check the latest communications for any changes, but the overall pattern indicates an early finish compared with some secondary schools, which can be helpful for enrichment, independent study, caring responsibilities or transport logistics.

Transport planning will vary by where families live, but the academy has shared Derbyshire’s b_line card information, which highlights £1.50 single bus fares across Derbyshire and beyond for eligible students. This can make a tangible difference for older students travelling independently, particularly in sixth form.

Wraparound care is not typically a feature of secondary schools in the way it is for primaries. For families who need supervised after-school arrangements, the most realistic route is usually structured enrichment and supervised study sessions rather than childcare-style provision, and it is sensible to clarify what is available on the days your child would rely on it.

• Competition for places. The academy is oversubscribed in the latest admissions dataset available for this review. That does not mean every applicant is turned away, but it does mean families should apply on time and keep expectations realistic if living further from the school.

• Sixth form outcomes are below England averages. A-level grade distributions sit below England averages overall, so students targeting highly selective universities should expect to work hard, use academic enrichment, and choose subjects carefully.

• Embedding learning is an identified priority. Inspectors highlighted the importance of students revisiting learning so that key knowledge is secure before moving on to more complex tasks, and they also flagged that some students wanted “Life” lessons to better reflect their needs and include more meaningful discussion. This is worth exploring at open events and in conversations with subject leaders.

• Specialist support is present, but fit is individual. The ARC autism provision is a meaningful strength, but families should clarify referral routes, day-to-day integration, and how support scales for different profiles of need.

Outwood Academy Newbold offers a structured secondary experience with a broad Post 16 curriculum that includes A-level, vocational and T-level routes. GCSE outcomes sit in the solid middle band nationally, and the academy combines this with a tangible enrichment menu that goes beyond generic claims, with named clubs and leadership roles that many students can access.

This school suits families who want clear routines, a well-defined school day, and the option of staying on into a sixth form that supports multiple destinations including university, apprenticeships and employment. The main challenge is admission competitiveness at Year 7, and for sixth formers aiming for the most selective routes, the outcomes data suggests careful subject choice and consistent academic habits matter.