Why the Elizabethan?

We are very proud of the Elizabethan Academy: we are proud of our students, proud of their achievements both in and out of the classroom, and proud that increasing numbers of parents are choosing to trust their children’s education to us.

The academy is oversubscribed and our intake has risen steadily year on year, with Year 7 often representing as many as thirty different primary schools.  We serve a mainly rural catchment, with small numbers of pupils coming from each school.  Students coming from out of catchment, therefore, quickly make friends and settle well.

One parent told us: “The thought of my daughter's transition from a small village school to a large secondary, filled me with dread!  However, I have only the highest regard for the Elizabethan and the systems in place to ease the way for their new students.  I couldn't be happier with the way my daughter has settled into The Elizabethan. I am very proud of her and commend the school for supporting her along the way.”

Each year, a number students join us “out of the normal round of admissions.”  These are either parents who move to Retford and wish to send their son or daughter to the Elizabethan, or parents who are dissatisfied with their child’s education elsewhere and wish to transfer.

Exam results are important, but they are not the “be all and end all”.   We believe that is critical to educate the whole person, rather than simply fill their heads with enough knowledge to pass the next exam.  We have a comprehensive leadership programme, which gives students the opportunity to develop key qualities such as confidence and communication, a full and varied Personal Development curriculum in each year, and a dedicated careers team who support our students as they work towards Year 11 and beyond.