Kirk Hallam Community Academy Review 2026: A calm, improving secondary with a clear curriculum plan

Kirk Hallam Community Academy serves local families in the Erewash area, with education from Year 7 through Year 13 and an established sixth form. The school is part of Nova Education Trust, which brings trust-wide oversight alongside local leadership.

In October 2024, Ofsted graded the school Requires Improvement for quality of education, leadership and management, and sixth form provision, while judging behaviour and attitudes and personal development as Good. The report paints a picture of a caring, welcoming school with calm routines and improving attendance, alongside work still needed to make teaching consistently effective across subjects and to strengthen support for weaker readers and some pupils with SEND.

For families weighing options, the essential question is fit. This is a large-capacity school with a smaller current roll, an orderly feel, and a broad extra-curricular menu that includes sport, drama, dance, wellbeing activities, and an animal care club. The opportunity is clear, especially for students who respond well to structure. The limitation is also clear, progress depends on the consistency of classroom practice.

The strongest thread running through formal evidence is reassurance. Pupils report feeling safe; relationships between staff and pupils are positive; social times are calm and orderly; and most pupils behave well in lessons. For many families, that baseline matters as much as any attainment figure, especially in a large secondary where the day-to-day experience can feel anonymous without dependable routines.

The school has put visible structure around expectations through what it describes as the “Kirk Hallam way”, with clear routines that pupils understand and follow. The practical implication is that students who like clarity, predictable classroom norms, and a consistent approach to behaviour are likely to find the environment manageable. Where this matters most is transition into Year 7, when pupils are learning to navigate multiple teachers, rooms, and expectations.

Leadership is a key part of the story. The current headteacher is Chris Turner, and the school sits within a trust model in which wider trust leaders and governance share responsibility. That structure can be helpful when improvement work needs momentum and challenge, but it also raises the bar for consistency, because systems only translate into outcomes when they are implemented effectively across departments.

The most useful way to read Kirk Hallam’s headline outcomes is through trend and implication rather than raw comparison with selective or fee-paying contexts. In the latest available performance data, the school’s GCSE metrics indicate outcomes below England average overall, with particular weakness in the English Baccalaureate suite.

The school’s Attainment 8 score is 35.9, and Progress 8 is -0.84. In plain terms, that Progress 8 figure indicates that, on average, pupils made substantially less progress than pupils nationally with similar starting points. The English Baccalaureate indicators are also low, with 1.3% achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc measure and an EBacc average point score of 2.98 (England average: 4.08).

Rankings reinforce that picture. Ranked 3,574th in England and 3rd in Ilkeston for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits below England average overall, within the bottom 40% of schools in England by this measure.

Sixth form outcomes show a similar challenge. At A-level, 26.92% of grades were A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2%. Ranked 2,258th in England and 1st in Ilkeston for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the sixth form sits below England average on this measure.

What does that mean for parents in practical terms?

• For students who thrive with strong classroom routines and explicit teaching, the opportunity is that the curriculum has been planned carefully, and many teachers explain new topics clearly. The risk is variability, when checking for understanding is not systematic, gaps persist and widen.

• For families with an interest in the EBacc pathway, it is sensible to ask how subject entry decisions are made, and how the school supports students to keep options open through Key Stage 4.

• For sixth form applicants, the key consideration is support and guidance, because the school’s destination preparation is described as a strength, but academic outcomes have been lower than expected.

If you are comparing nearby schools, the FindMySchool Local Hub pages and Comparison Tool can help you view GCSE and A-level measures side-by-side, so you can judge Kirk Hallam in the context of realistic alternatives.

The curriculum intent is a clear positive. The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum, detailing the knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils should learn in each subject. This matters because clarity of sequencing is one of the most reliable predictors of classroom consistency, especially in a large secondary where many staff teach multiple classes and years.

Implementation is the current gap. Many teachers use the agreed approach well and have good subject knowledge, often explaining new topics clearly. The sticking point is assessment in the moment. When teachers do not check understanding carefully, they miss misconceptions and gaps; pupils then move on without secure foundations; outcomes suffer later, particularly at GCSE and in post-16 courses.

Reading sits at the centre of improvement work. Key Stage 3 pupils have weekly library lessons; staff explicitly teach vocabulary; the school assesses reading ability and identifies pupils who need additional support. That is a sensible model because it combines whole-school reading culture with targeted intervention. The limitation is precision at the earliest stages, where pupils who need phonics-level support are not yet getting enough help to develop fluency and accuracy, which then affects access across the wider curriculum.

SEND support shows a similar pattern of strong intent with uneven delivery. The school identifies needs accurately and provides detailed guidance for staff; some pupils with more complex needs receive bespoke support that is starting to help them gain the knowledge and skills they need. The inconsistency is in classroom adaptation, when some teachers do not adjust resources and teaching approaches effectively, pupils with SEND can be left behind even when the plan is clear.

Where Students Go Next

For many families, destinations are a better indicator of sixth form quality than headline grades alone, because they capture guidance, aspiration, and access to pathways beyond school.

In the 2023/24 leavers cohort (45 students), 38% progressed to university. Apprenticeships accounted for 11%, employment for 33%, and further education for 2%. This pattern suggests a mixed destination profile, with a meaningful minority moving into degree routes, a clear apprenticeship stream, and a sizeable group moving straight into employment.

Selective university outcomes exist, but at low volume. In the most recently reported period, two students applied to Oxford or Cambridge and one secured a place. The practical implication is that high-attaining students can be supported through competitive applications, but the Oxbridge pipeline is small, so applicants should expect to be proactive and to seek detailed guidance early in Year 12.

The wider careers picture appears well-developed. Students in the sixth form are supported to understand universities and apprenticeships, and pupils have opportunities to learn about the world of work. Families considering post-16 entry should ask about the current programme of guidance, employer encounters, and how subject choices align to destinations, particularly for students aiming at higher technical routes as well as traditional degrees.

For Year 7 entry, admissions are coordinated by Derbyshire County Council for children transferring to secondary school in September 2026. The published timeline for the 2026 entry round is clear: applications open on 08 September 2025 and close at midnight on 31 October 2025, with offers issued on national offer day, 02 March 2026.

The school is oversubscribed on its Year 7 entry route in the latest available demand data. In the most recent dataset, there were 276 applications for 131 offers, which equates to 2.11 applications per place. That demand level is meaningful, especially for families hoping that a late change of mind will still secure a place, because late applications are typically treated less favourably than those made on time.

In-year applications follow local authority processes, and families moving into the area mid-year should expect availability to vary significantly by year group. Where distance and catchment are relevant, FindMySchoolMap Search is a practical way to check proximity in a consistent manner, although the school’s own admissions criteria should always be the reference point for how places are allocated.

Sixth form admissions are separate from Year 7. The school’s sixth form advertises that applications for September 2026 entry are open, and prospective students should check the current entry requirements for each course, particularly where GCSE grades are used to gate access to specific A-level subjects.

Pastoral strength is one of the school’s clearer positives. Pupils feel safe; staff provide care and support; behaviour is calm and orderly; and most pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. That combination tends to create a school day that feels predictable, which matters for pupils who are anxious, who struggle with transitions, or who simply need consistent boundaries.

The school’s behaviour work has a measurable direction of travel. It supports pupils who need help to improve behaviour, and suspensions have been reducing. Attendance is also described as improving, with targeted support for pupils who need to attend more regularly. Families should still ask how attendance is tracked and what the escalation pathway looks like, because the difference between a supportive approach and an effective approach is often the speed at which concerns are addressed.

Personal development is judged as a strength area within the formal judgements. Pupils learn about online safety, healthy relationships and lifestyles, and are expected to be respectful and tolerant. The improvement need is civic understanding, where pupils’ grasp of fundamental British values is not yet secure. In practical terms, families may want to ask how this is taught through assemblies, tutor time, and curriculum content, and how it is made relevant rather than abstract.

A school’s extra-curricular offer is often the most revealing indicator of who feels they belong. Kirk Hallam’s activities provide several different routes into school life, which matters in a community comprehensive where not every pupil wants to define themselves through sport or academics alone.

There are sports clubs and an expanding participation picture, alongside wellbeing provision that is explicitly framed as a club rather than only as pastoral intervention. That is important because it normalises support and builds peer groups around positive habits. For pupils who find break and lunch times difficult, a structured club can reduce low-level conflict and increase attendance.

Creative options include dance and drama, which can be decisive for students who learn best through performance, rehearsal, and teamwork. The educational implication is broader than confidence, it builds the habits that support presentations, group work, and resilience under pressure.

The animal care club is a distinctive feature and a useful signal that the school is thinking about varied interests and applied learning. For some pupils, practical and vocationally flavoured experiences create motivation that transfers into attendance and classroom effort.

Leadership opportunities exist too. Pupils can act as wellbeing, reading, or subject ambassadors, and some sixth form students support younger pupils with reading. This is valuable because it builds a culture where older students contribute to the school’s direction, and it gives quieter pupils a meaningful role beyond traditional prefect structures.

Kirk Hallam is a state secondary with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for standard extras such as uniform, trips, and optional enrichment such as music tuition where offered.

Published information on the precise school day start and finish times is not consistently accessible from official sources in this review, so families should confirm timings directly before planning transport or wraparound arrangements.

As a local-area secondary in Kirk Hallam, many pupils will arrive by a mix of walking, cycling, and local transport. When visiting, it is worth checking the school’s guidance on drop-off patterns and safe routes, especially for new Year 7 pupils transitioning from primary routines.

• Consistency of teaching: The curriculum planning is clear, but classroom practice is not yet consistently strong across subjects. This matters most for pupils who need regular checking for understanding and structured retrieval to keep gaps from growing.

• Support for weaker readers: The school has built weekly library lessons and targeted identification of need, but pupils at the earliest stages of reading are not yet getting enough help to build fluency and accuracy. If your child needs phonics-level support, ask how intervention is delivered and how progress is tracked.

• SEND classroom adaptation: Needs are identified accurately and plans exist, yet some teachers do not adapt teaching and resources effectively. Families of pupils with SEND should ask what consistency checks are in place and how staff are trained and supported.

• Civic understanding: Personal development is a strength overall, but understanding of fundamental British values needs improvement. Ask how this is taught through curriculum and tutor-time, and how pupils’ understanding is assessed rather than assumed.

Kirk Hallam Community Academy offers a calm, orderly environment with clear expectations and a broad curriculum plan, backed by a wide set of ways for pupils and students to engage through sport, wellbeing activity, performance, and leadership roles. The central improvement priority is consistency, ensuring that teaching checks understanding systematically, that support for early readers is sharp, and that classroom adaptations for pupils with SEND are reliably applied.

Who it suits: families seeking a local, structured 11 to 18 school with a reassuring day-to-day culture and a developing sixth form, particularly for students who respond well to routine and who will engage with extra-curricular and leadership opportunities. The key question for any shortlist is whether current improvements are translating into consistently strong learning across subjects.