Set in Mansfield’s Forest Town area and founded in the 1960s, The Garibaldi School is a large mixed secondary with sixth form, part of Nova Education Trust.
The tone is purposeful rather than theatrical. The school’s stated values, Pride, Respect and Achieve, are not treated as a branding exercise; they are used as shared language for behaviour and character expectations across Year 7 through Year 13.
Leadership has changed recently. Paddy Cassidy joined as Head Teacher in September 2024, bringing prior senior leadership and headship experience.
The most recent Ofsted inspection (6 to 7 June 2023) judged the school Good, including Good sixth form provision.
A useful way to understand Garibaldi is through its working atmosphere. Expectations are clear, and daily routines are designed to reduce friction so learning time is protected. The external report describes a calm, orderly culture where pupils treat each other with care and respect, engage well with staff, and feel safe.
The school is sizeable, with a published capacity of 1,224 and around the high 900s on roll in recent official reporting. That scale matters. It tends to suit pupils who like having broad friendship options, multiple activity routes, and subject specialist teaching in many areas, while still needing consistent boundaries and visible adult presence.
Pastoral culture is closely linked to character education. The external report describes leaders placing emphasis on preparation for next steps, and on personal development that builds confidence, resilience, and independence, with a clear stance against discriminatory behaviour.
Garibaldi’s GCSE picture sits in the middle of the England distribution, with some indicators that will matter a lot to parents deciding on fit.
Ranked 2,182nd in England and 3rd in Mansfield for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).
Attainment 8: 43.9
Progress 8: -0.35, indicating pupils make below average progress from their starting points (relative to England).
EBacc average point score: 4.07, close to the England reference value (4.08).
Percentage achieving grade 5 or above in EBacc: 14.5%
A practical implication: families with pupils who thrive with structure and consistent teaching habits often focus less on whether a school is “top quartile” and more on whether teaching checks understanding routinely, gaps are closed early, and attendance culture is strong. Those are precisely the operational levers highlighted for improvement in the most recent official report.
Ranked 1,244th in England and 1st in Mansfield for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This again sits in line with the middle 35% of England providers.
A* to B: 45.45%, compared with an England reference value of 47.2%.
A* to A: 22.72%, compared with an England reference value of 23.6%.
The sixth form data suggests a broadly typical England profile with local strength, which can be attractive for students seeking a familiar setting post 16 with clear expectations and a defined study culture.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
45.45%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
Garibaldi’s academic intent is about breadth and ambition, then building secure knowledge in sensible sequences. The latest external report highlights leaders thinking carefully about what is taught and in what order, and teachers using strong subject knowledge to select activities that make new learning accessible, including for pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities.
The most useful detail for parents is the improvement focus: in a minority of subjects, checking for understanding is not frequent enough before moving on. That is an operational teaching habit, not a philosophical debate. Where it is done well, misconceptions are identified early, pupils make links between topics, and confidence builds. Where it is inconsistent, pupils can accumulate small gaps that later show up as weaker performance or lower self belief.
Post 16, the sixth form’s stated approach is explicit about study habits and independence. The published sixth form culture document sets a minimum attendance expectation of 96%, and describes a deliberate move towards independent study and reading habits, alongside smaller classes and a structured transition programme.
For many families, the important question is not only “university or not”, but whether the school builds credible routes into a range of destinations.
Among a cohort of 33, 58% progressed to university, 12% to apprenticeships, and 30% to employment.
In the measurement period, 6 students applied to Oxford or Cambridge, and 1 secured a place (via Cambridge).
Those numbers indicate that elite outcomes happen, but for a small number of students, which is typical for many comprehensive intakes. The stronger story is breadth of guidance. The sixth form’s published information references ongoing links with universities and employer engagement, including a careers appointment model, university and apprenticeship fairs, and named engagement activity such as Employer Engagement Days with organisations including Experian and Mansfield District Council, plus support for competitive programmes such as the Sutton Trust Programme.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
For families considering Year 7 entry, the key is understanding who controls the process and what deadlines matter.
Applications are made through Nottinghamshire County Council’s coordinated scheme. For September 2026 entry, the council’s published timeline shows: applications open 4 August 2025, close 31 October 2025, and offers are released on 2 March 2026.
Garibaldi’s published Year 7 admission number is 190. The oversubscription criteria place looked after and previously looked after children first, then (in summary) children of staff in specified circumstances, then catchment and sibling related criteria, followed by linked primary school criteria, and finally other children. The admissions policy also lists linked primary schools including Forest Town Primary School, Heatherley Primary School, Holly Primary School, Newlands Junior School, and Samuel Barlow Primary Academy.
Because distance cut off data is not published provided here, families should treat proximity as relevant but not assume it guarantees a place. A practical step is to use FindMySchool’s Map Search to understand travel distances and compare options realistically before applying.
Internal progression is expected for students in Year 11 who meet subject entry requirements. External entry is much tighter, with the published policy stating 5 places for external candidates into Year 12, allocated using oversubscription rules if needed.
For September 2026 starters, the school promoted a sixth form open evening held on Thursday 16 October 2025 (6.00pm to 8.00pm) across The Garibaldi School and Meden School, which gives a clear indication that sixth form recruitment works on an autumn timeline.
Applications
445
Total received
Places Offered
207
Subscription Rate
2.1x
Apps per place
Pastoral strength at Garibaldi is tied to calm routines, predictable behaviour systems, and rapid response when issues arise. The official report describes low level disruption being addressed promptly, and pupils expressing confidence that bullying is handled quickly when it occurs.
Inspectors confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff training, strong recording systems, and appropriate escalation to external agencies when pupils need additional support.
There is also a clear attendance challenge for a minority of pupils, flagged as an area that leaders need to address consistently. For parents, that is a useful prompt to ask direct questions about attendance monitoring, first day calling, and how pastoral and curriculum teams coordinate support for persistent absence.
Garibaldi’s extracurricular offer is broad, and it includes activities that appeal to pupils who do not identify primarily as “sporty”. The school highlights clubs such as Happy Knitters, Origami Club, Darts Club, Nerf Club, Creative Writing Club, Football Club, and Dungeons and Dragons, which signals a deliberate attempt to make enrichment feel accessible rather than elite.
Enrichment matters most when it feeds back into confidence and attendance. A pupil who finds their place in a lunchtime club, a creative group, or a competitive team often has an extra reason to come in on difficult days. The external report links the wider offer to pupils enjoying school and making the most of opportunities.
Post 16, the published sixth form culture information points to volunteering, enrichment, and structured transition, including a July programme with taster lessons and bridging work that is submitted early in Year 12. That combination of guidance plus independence suits students who want autonomy, but still benefit from defined checkpoints.
The published timetable for 2025 to 2026 indicates an 8.30am arrival and mentor welcome, followed by development time and then timetabled periods.
A separate published attendance policy states the school day starts at 8.30am and ends at 3.00pm, with an expectation that pupils arrive by 8.15am.
Transport wise, the school serves Forest Town and surrounding Mansfield communities, with most pupils travelling by a mix of walking, local bus routes, and family drop off depending on distance. Families considering sixth form should plan journeys carefully if students attend provision across more than one site in the collaborative offer.
Progress measures: A Progress 8 score of -0.35 indicates below average progress compared with England, so families should probe how the school targets catch up, checks understanding, and supports pupils who arrive with weaker prior attainment.
Consistency of checking for understanding: The official report highlights that in a minority of subjects, teachers do not check pupils’ knowledge frequently enough before moving on. Ask how this is being standardised through curriculum and teaching routines.
Attendance culture: Some pupils do not attend as often as they should, which the report flags as an improvement priority. Families with children prone to anxiety or low attendance should ask about early intervention and support.
External sixth form entry is limited: Published admissions information indicates only 5 external Year 12 places, so external applicants should treat this as competitive and plan alternatives.
The Garibaldi School is a large, structured 11 to 18 academy with a calm tone, clear behavioural expectations, and a wide enrichment offer that includes plenty for pupils who prefer creative or hobby based clubs as well as sport. Academic performance sits broadly in the England middle range, with local sixth form strength, and with improvement work needed around attendance and consistent checking for understanding in some subjects.
Who it suits: families seeking a purposeful mainstream secondary with clear routines, a broad club programme, and a sixth form route that builds independence while keeping close pastoral oversight.
The school was judged Good at its most recent graded inspection in June 2023, including Good sixth form provision. Official reporting also describes a calm culture where pupils feel safe, behaviour is typically orderly, and leaders focus strongly on character and preparation for next steps.
The school has an agreed Year 7 admission number of 190. If applications exceed places, published oversubscription rules apply, including priority for looked after children, catchment and sibling criteria, and linked primary criteria.
The admissions policy uses catchment area status as a priority factor once the highest priority groups have been allocated places. Families should read the determined admissions arrangements carefully and confirm whether their home address is inside the catchment before applying.
Students in Year 11 who meet subject entry requirements can typically progress into Year 12. External entry is very limited, with only 5 places stated as available for external candidates, so external applicants should treat entry as competitive.
The school highlights a range that goes beyond standard sport, including clubs such as Happy Knitters, Origami, Darts, Nerf, Creative Writing, Football, and Dungeons and Dragons. This breadth helps pupils find a niche even if they do not see themselves as “sport first”.
Get in touch with the school directly
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