Set in the residential suburb of Arnold on the northern edge of Nottingham, Christ The King Voluntary Academy serves as a cornerstone for Catholic education in the region. As a mixed secondary school and sixth form for students aged 11 to 18, it operates as part of the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust. The school currently caters to around 850 students, maintaining a size that allows staff to provide individual attention while offering a full secondary curriculum.
In 2026, the academy continues to build on its reputation for solid academic performance and strong pastoral support. Most recent data indicates that students make progress slightly above the England average, with a Progress 8 score of +0.13. This suggests that students of all abilities typically achieve better results here than they might at a typical school with similar intakes.
The atmosphere at Christ The King is deeply influenced by its Catholic identity. The school's mission focuses on developing the whole person, balancing academic pursuit with spiritual growth and service to others. This ethos is visible in daily life through the school motto, Christus Vincit, Christus Regnat (Christ conquers, Christ reigns), regular acts of collective worship, and the presence of a dedicated chaplaincy team.
Principal Joanne Love, who has led the academy since 2021, has maintained a focus on high expectations for behaviour and a culture of mutual respect. Students move between lessons with purpose, and the school environment is described by visitors as calm and orderly. The school's internal organisation is anchored by its five houses: Iona, Canterbury, Holywell, Lindisfarne, and Walsingham.
As a member of the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust since 2018, the school benefits from shared resources and expertise across Nottinghamshire. This partnership has led to significant curriculum development and shared professional training for staff, ensuring that teaching methods remain current and effective.
Academic outcomes at Christ The King reflect a solid and consistent performance. The school ranks 2002nd in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking) and sits 29th among schools in the Nottingham area. This performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England, placing it within the national typical percentile band.
In the most recent published results, the academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 47.6. This is comfortably above the England average of 45.9, indicating that students achieve higher grades across a suite of eight key subjects than the national benchmark.
The Progress 8 score of +0.13 is a key indicator of the school's value added impact. This positive figure means that students, on average, achieved more than a tenth of a grade higher in each subject than expected based on their primary school starting points. While 12.7% of students achieved Grade 5 or above in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), the school maintains a broad curriculum that allows students to succeed in a variety of vocational and creative pathways alongside traditional academic subjects.
The sixth form at Christ The King provides a familiar environment for internal students while welcoming a significant number of external applicants from across Nottingham. It offers a bridge between the structured environment of secondary school and the independence of university or employment.
At A-level, the school ranks 1817th in England (FindMySchool ranking). While this sits within the national lower percentile band compared to all providers (including selective grammar schools and private colleges), the results remain competitive for a local comprehensive sixth form. Approximately 37.9% of students achieved the top A* to B grades, providing a strong foundation for higher education applications.
The academy maintains a strong pipeline to higher education and professional training. According to 2023/24 leavers data, 56% of students progressed to university. The school's academic rigour is evidenced by the elite university pipeline, with students recently securing places at the University of Cambridge, reflecting the school's ability to support the highest achieving learners.
Beyond university, 10% of students moved into further education, while another 10% secured apprenticeships, reflecting the school's commitment to diverse career pathways. A further 8% of the cohort entered direct employment. Students often progress to local institutions such as the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University, as well as Russell Group universities further afield.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
37.9%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
Teaching at Christ The King is structured around a five year journey from Year 7 to GCSE, with a clear focus on subject mastery. Teachers are encouraged to use evidence based strategies, such as retrieval practice and clear modelling, to help students retain information.
The curriculum is designed to be ambitious. In the lower years, students study a wide range of subjects including Religious Education, which is a core part of the timetable for every student. As students move into Key Stage 4, they are supported in choosing options that match their aspirations, whether that involves the EBacc suite of academic subjects or more technical qualifications.
Subject specific facilities are well maintained, with specialist labs for Science and dedicated suites for Design and Technology. The school's membership in the Multi-Academy Trust allows for collaborative curriculum planning, meaning students benefit from the collective expertise of subject leaders across several schools.
Quality of Education
N/A
Behaviour & Attitudes
N/A
Personal Development
N/A
Leadership & Management
Good
Securing a place at Christ The King is a competitive process. For the most recent intake, the school received 417 applications for 151 available places, making it significantly oversubscribed. This results in a subscription proportion of 2.76 applications for every offer made.
As a Voluntary Academy, the school's admissions policy gives priority to baptised Catholic children, particularly those attending feeder primary schools within the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust. However, the school welcomes students of all faiths and none who are supportive of the school's religious ethos, provided places are available after the primary criteria are met.
Parents interested in this school should use the FindMySchool Map Search to view the proximity of previous successful applicants, as distance remains a deciding factor when the school is oversubscribed within specific categories.
Applications
417
Total received
Places Offered
151
Subscription Rate
2.8x
Apps per place
The school operates a traditional house system, which provides a smaller community feel within the larger academy. Each student belongs to a form group that meets daily, led by a tutor who acts as the primary point of contact for families.
Pastoral support is a visible strength. The school employs a chaplain who is available for both spiritual guidance and emotional support. There are clear systems for managing behaviour, based on the principle of "choices and consequences," which helps maintain the calm atmosphere of the school.
Safeguarding is treated with high priority. External reviews and monitoring suggest that the school has a strong culture of vigilance, with staff receiving regular training to support student mental health and safety. The 2023 Ofsted inspection confirmed that Christ The King continues to be a Good school.
Extracurricular life at Christ The King is varied, with a particular emphasis on music and sport. The school choir and various musical ensembles perform at liturgical events and community concerts throughout the year.
The academy provides targeted opportunities for students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This includes coding clubs and participation in regional STEM challenges. Students have access to well equipped workshops where they can engage in practical projects that bring theoretical concepts to life.
Sporting life is active, with teams representing the school in football, netball, and athletics. The school also participates in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which is popular among students in the older year groups as a way of developing resilience and leadership skills.
The school day typically begins at 8:45am and concludes at 3:10pm. For students travelling from further afield, the school is served by several local bus routes through Arnold and the wider Nottingham area.
There is no on-site parking for parents, so drop-off and pick-up take place in the surrounding residential streets. The school encourages walking and cycling where possible to alleviate local traffic.
As Christ The King is a state funded Voluntary Academy, there are no tuition fees. All education provided during school hours is free of charge. Families may be asked for voluntary contributions for certain activities like school trips or music lessons, but no student is excluded from these activities based on an inability to pay. Eligible families are encouraged to apply for Free School Meals, which also provides the school with additional Pupil Premium funding to support student learning.
Christ The King Voluntary Academy is a school that successfully balances its religious foundations with a clear eyed focus on academic progress. It offers a safe, structured, and ambitious environment where students are encouraged to achieve their best. Best suited to families who value a faith based education and a close knit community atmosphere. The main challenge is the high level of competition for places.
Yes. The school is currently rated Good by Ofsted (last inspected May 2023). It consistently achieves academic results above the England average, with a positive Progress 8 score of +0.13 at GCSE. It is highly regarded in the local community for its supportive atmosphere and Catholic ethos.
Applications for Year 7 are made through the Nottinghamshire County Council coordinated admissions scheme. As a Catholic school, you will also need to complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) provided by the school to confirm your faith status, which is a key part of their oversubscription criteria.
No, the school welcomes students of all faiths and none. However, because the school is consistently oversubscribed, priority is given to baptised Catholic children in accordance with the admissions policy. Non Catholic families should check the admissions criteria carefully to understand their likelihood of securing a place.
The sixth form achieves solid results, with 37.9% of students achieving A* to B grades in the most recent cohort. The school has a strong track record of sending students to university, including successful applications to prestigious institutions like the University of Cambridge.
The school offers a range of clubs including music ensembles, choir, and various sports teams. It also runs a successful Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme and offers various STEM related activities and coding clubs.
Get in touch with the school directly
Disclaimer
Information on this page is compiled, analysed, and processed from publicly available sources including the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and official school websites.
Our rankings, metrics, and assessments are derived from this data using our own methodologies and represent our independent analysis rather than official standings.
While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that all information is current, complete, or error-free. Data may change without notice, and schools and/or local authorities should be contacted directly to verify any details before making decisions.
FindMySchool does not endorse any particular school, and rankings reflect specific metrics rather than overall quality.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on information provided. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us.
