Aldercar High School Review 2026: A broad, inclusive secondary with structured support pathways

Aldercar High School is a mainstream, mixed 11 to 18 academy serving Langley Mill and nearby communities, with a stated emphasis on inclusion and high expectations. The school is part of Embark Multi Academy Trust, and describes its shared trust values as Family, Integrity, Teamwork and Success, alongside a core purpose of Love Learning, Love Life.

A distinctive feature is the additional specialist provision that sits alongside the mainstream curriculum. The school operates an Enhanced Resource Facility for deaf and hearing-impaired pupils, designed to integrate pupils fully into school life, and it also highlights post 16 specialist support, including Level 1 provision for students with high levels of special educational needs.

For families weighing up fit, the headline performance picture is mixed. GCSE outcomes place the school below the England average in the FindMySchool rankings, and Progress 8 is negative, indicating students made less progress than similar pupils nationally. Where the school tends to stand out is in its focus on structured routines, behaviour consistency, and targeted support, especially for pupils who need specialist adjustments to access learning.

Daily life is organised around a clear internal structure. A whole school house system runs through assemblies, competition, and identity, with four houses, Gregg, Howitt, Ormonde and Shipley. House colours also show up in uniform details, for example ties aligned to each house.

The school day is built for predictability. Pupils begin with tutor time at 8:25am, then move through five one hour periods, with a mid morning break and lunch, finishing at 2:55pm. The website also notes that the site is open to students from 8:00am, with early arrivals waiting in the dining room.

Aldercar’s inclusion story has substance rather than slogans. The Enhanced Resource Facility for hearing impairment is long established in the school’s wider model, and prior formal evaluation describes it as enabling pupils to be fully integrated into all aspects of school life. That matters in practice because it signals that the timetable, staffing, and classroom routines are expected to work for a genuinely comprehensive intake, including pupils who need adaptations to participate confidently.

There is also an identifiable community feel in how the school describes its relationship with families. The school positions itself as improving, with an emphasis on positive relationships and high aspirations for every student, regardless of starting point. Families looking for a school that is explicit about inclusion, belonging, and day to day routines may find this messaging reassuring, particularly when combined with the specialist strands in the post 16 offer.

Leadership information appears in more than one format, which is worth understanding rather than ignoring. The Department for Education’s Get Information About Schools listing names Mr Adam Blake as headteacher or principal, while school publications also reference a Head of School role and name Clare Hatto as headteacher in the school prospectus. In practice, this points to a distributed leadership model, sometimes used within multi academy trusts, where executive leadership and operational leadership are separated.

For GCSE, Aldercar High School is ranked 3,397th in England and 45th in Nottingham for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This sits below England average, within the bottom 40% of schools in the FindMySchool distribution.

The underlying indicators align with that ranking. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 37.9, and the Progress 8 score is -0.39, meaning students made below average progress compared with other pupils nationally who had similar starting points. A negative Progress 8 does not mean pupils do not achieve, but it does indicate that, as a cohort, outcomes were weaker than might be expected given prior attainment.

EBacc related measures are also low in the available performance profile. The percentage achieving grade 5 or above across EBacc is recorded as 4.3%, and the average EBacc APS is 3.12. This is below the England average of 4.08 for the same EBacc APS measure.

At post 16, the FindMySchool A level ranking is also in the lower band. Aldercar is ranked 2,581st in England and 37th in Nottingham for A level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). The published A level grade distribution in the available profile is recorded as 0% at A*, 0% at A, and 0% at B and above, which often occurs when A level entry is limited in that reporting year or where post 16 outcomes are recorded under different programme types. Families should treat the sixth form as a conversation to have in detail, including the current balance of A levels, applied general qualifications, and specialist support pathways, and what destinations look like for each route.

A practical way to use this data is comparative rather than absolute. Parents can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to look at Progress 8, Attainment 8, and GCSE ranking alongside nearby alternatives, then weigh that against pastoral fit and inclusion.

The school’s curriculum framing is deliberately broad. It is described as designed to keep options open beyond age 16 or 18, and to avoid narrowing routes too early. This sits well with a comprehensive intake because it aims to reduce the risk that a student’s pathway is defined too soon by one weak subject or an early set placement.

A consistent theme in formal evaluation is the drive for consistency in classroom practice. The school has previously used a whole school planning model referred to as the five pillars, intended to align lesson planning and strengthen consistency across subjects. The implication for families is straightforward, a school that is explicit about shared lesson structures is usually aiming to reduce variation between classrooms, which matters most for students who need predictable routines to learn well.

The curriculum offer is also positioned as practical about next steps. The school states that it works with local colleges, businesses and training providers so that students have clear routes into further education, apprenticeships, or employment. The best evidence for this is in the careers and provider access materials, which list both education and training providers that have been invited into school, alongside examples of university destinations.

The school does not publish clear headline destination percentages on its own website for Russell Group progression or Oxbridge entry, and the available destinations dataset in the profile used for this review does not include numeric destination outcomes. That means it is not responsible to imply a university progression rate or apprenticeship proportion.

What can be said, with evidence, is that careers education is treated as a structured programme rather than an occasional add on. The published provider access statement references multiple encounters with external providers across the school years, and it lists examples of invited organisations and employers, plus further education and college routes. It also lists examples of university destinations for previous pupils, including the University of Derby, University of Lincoln, Sheffield Hallam University, Nottingham Trent University, and others.

For sixth form specifically, the school highlights UCAS support tools and publishes a post 16 destinations consent process, signalling that it tracks destinations and evaluates careers support over time.

A distinctive element is the post 16 specialist support offer, including Level 1 provision for students with high levels of special educational needs. For some families, that is the decisive factor because it can keep a student in a familiar environment with known staff and routines while still moving forward with a formal post 16 programme.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Derbyshire County Council rather than applying directly to the school. The school states that pupils are admitted at age 11 without reference to ability or aptitude, consistent with a non selective intake.

For September 2026 entry, Derbyshire’s published timeline states that families should apply between 8 September 2025 and 31 October 2025, with allocations released on national offer day.

The school’s published admissions arrangements list a Published Admission Number (PAN) of 120. Where demand exceeds places, oversubscription criteria apply as set out in the admissions policy.

Transition is treated as a process rather than a single day. For September 2026 intake, the school references induction days for Year 6 pupils, plus a transition evening for parents and students on Thursday 2 July 2026. Families should still rely on the school website for the most up to date scheduling as dates can shift year to year.

A practical step for parents is to use the FindMySchoolMap Search to understand how distance factors into nearby schools’ allocations, even when exact cut off distances are not published for a specific school. That helps you plan realistically rather than emotionally.

Pastoral support is presented through a combination of safeguarding infrastructure, wellbeing resources, and behaviour routines. The school maintains a broad safeguarding information area, and also publishes guidance material aimed at early help and school attendance challenges, indicating a preference for early intervention rather than waiting for problems to escalate.

The last full graded inspection before academy conversion judged safeguarding arrangements effective, and described behaviour and conduct around the school as good, with pupils reporting that bullying was uncommon and handled quickly when it occurred.

In the sixth form, support materials include an independent study guide, wellbeing action plan resources, and guidance on asking for help. The underlying implication is that the school expects students to manage increasing independence, but provides scaffolding and explicit resources to support that transition.

Extracurricular provision is best understood through the school’s published enrichment plan. The schedule shows a mixture of lunchtime and after school activities across Years 7 to 11, with named clubs rather than generic headings.

A clear example is the Eco Club, running at lunchtime, which gives pupils a structured, repeatable way to contribute to environmental initiatives and develop responsibility beyond lessons. Minecraft Club, aimed at Key Stage 3, is another example of meeting pupils where their interests already are, then turning that interest into teamwork, problem solving, and digital confidence.

The performing arts strand is also visible. Drama and Performance Club appears after school, alongside Band Practice sessions and a Singing Club at lunchtime. Band participation may involve audition, which suggests a balance between openness and maintaining standards for ensemble work.

Debate Club appears across year groups, which matters because debating tends to build confidence in public speaking, structured argument, and listening skills that translate directly into English, humanities and interview settings. For families who worry about confidence or communication, a steady debating offer can be an important signal.

Finally, the enrichment plan references Duke of Edinburgh Award planning for Bronze in Year 9 and Silver in Year 10. That indicates that the school is offering a long arc programme that rewards persistence and independence, rather than just one off trips.

The school runs a two week timetable cycle, Week 1 and Week B, and states that Year 7 are supported to understand the rotation.

For Years 7 to 11, tutor time runs from 8:25am to 8:55am, and the last teaching period ends at 2:55pm. Total weekly compulsory time is stated as 32.5 hours.

There is no published wraparound childcare model in the way a primary school might offer. The school does state that it is open from 8:00am, and that after school time may include extracurricular activities and supervised study spaces. Families who need regular early drop off or late pick up arrangements should ask the school directly what is available in practice.

The prospectus highlights the site’s attractive grounds, accessible design, and plentiful car parking, which is useful context for families who are planning transport and drop off logistics.

• Headline outcomes are below England average. The GCSE ranking and Progress 8 score indicate that outcomes have been weaker than expected for similar pupils. Families should look closely at subject level performance and talk through how the school is addressing gaps.

• EBacc measures are very low in the available profile. A low EBacc performance metric may reflect entry patterns, curriculum choices, or cohort factors. If your child is aiming for a strongly academic pathway, ask how languages and humanities are promoted and supported.

• Post 16 needs careful scrutiny. The last full inspection prior to academy conversion judged 16 to 19 study programmes as requiring improvement, and the current A level reporting snapshot is not informative. If sixth form is a key reason for choosing this school, request a clear explanation of current programmes, retention, and destinations.

• Timetable structure adds complexity for some pupils. A two week timetable can work well once established, but it can be challenging for pupils who struggle with organisation. Ask what tools and routines are used to support planning.

Aldercar High School is best understood as a school built around inclusion, routine, and clear support pathways, including specialist provision for deaf and hearing impaired pupils and a defined post 16 specialist support strand. For families prioritising structured pastoral systems, predictable daily routines, and an environment that explicitly plans for a wide range of learner needs, it can be a strong fit.

The central trade off is outcomes. The published GCSE performance indicators are below England average in the FindMySchool distribution, so families should approach with eyes open, and focus questions on how teaching consistency, curriculum planning, and intervention are implemented for pupils at different starting points. This is most likely to suit students who benefit from strong routines and support, and families who will actively engage with the school on progress and next steps.