Joshua Mangas
School Intel

Mercia Academy

  • Secondary
  • Academy sponsor led
  • Ages 11 to 16

URN 149380 · Derbyshire · LIONHEART EDUCATIONAL TRUST

In Derbyshire

Inspection

Ofsted management information, as at 30 September 2026.

Latest full inspection

1 July 2025
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding is effective
Yes

First full inspection as an academy

From September 2024 until report cards began, full inspections gave key judgements but no overall grade.

Read the reports on Ofsted’s website. Source: Ofsted, State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information.

Attendance

Against Derbyshire and England, secondary schools.

Overall absence

2024/25

13.1%

Derbyshire
8.5%
England
8.4%

4.7 percentage points higher than England.

5.99.613.32017/182024/25
This schoolDerbyshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Overall absence
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2017/18Not published5.5%5.5%
2018/19Not published5.5%5.5%
2020/21Not published5.3%5.5%
2021/22Not published9.6%9.0%
2022/2310.9%9.4%9.0%
2023/2413.9%9.2%8.9%
2024/2513.1%8.5%8.4%

Sessions missed for any reason, as a share of all possible sessions in the school year. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Persistent absence

2024/25

36.3%

Derbyshire
21.7%
England
23.4%

12.9 percentage points higher than England.

14.925.836.62017/182024/25
This schoolDerbyshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Persistent absence
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2017/18Not published13.7%13.9%
2018/19Not published13.3%13.7%
2020/21Not published13.9%14.8%
2021/22Not published28.8%27.7%
2022/2330.7%26.3%26.5%
2023/2438.2%24.9%25.6%
2024/2536.3%21.7%23.4%

Pupils who missed 10% or more of their possible sessions, as a share of pupils. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Severe absence

2024/25

9.7%

Derbyshire
4.3%
England
3.9%

5.8 percentage points higher than England.

1.75.49.12017/182024/25
This schoolDerbyshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Severe absence
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2017/18Not published1.1%1.2%
2018/19Not published1.4%1.3%
2020/21Not published1.5%1.5%
2021/22Not published3.0%2.7%
2022/237.1%4.2%3.4%
2023/247.6%4.3%3.8%
2024/259.7%4.3%3.9%

Pupils who missed 50% or more of their possible sessions, as a share of pupils. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.

Suspensions and permanent exclusions

Against Derbyshire and England, secondary schools.

Suspensions per 100 pupils

2024/25

49.74

Derbyshire
24.25
England
21.24

28.50 higher than England.

10.228.646.92017/182024/25
This schoolDerbyshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Suspensions per 100 pupils
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2017/18Not published8.8510.13
2018/19Not published9.0810.75
2019/20Not published7.497.43
2020/21Not published9.548.48
2021/22Not published16.8513.96
2022/2326.1923.5118.90
2023/2430.5328.6222.61
2024/2549.7424.2521.24

Suspensions in the school year for every 100 pupils on roll. One pupil can be suspended more than once. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024/25.

Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils

2024/25

0.35

Derbyshire
0.24
England
0.23

0.12 higher than England.

0.00.20.32017/182024/25
This schoolDerbyshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2017/18Not published0.330.20
2018/19Not published0.300.20
2019/20Not published0.230.13
2020/21Not published0.180.10
2021/22Not published0.230.16
2022/230.170.310.22
2023/240.000.360.25
2024/250.350.240.23

Permanent exclusions in the school year for every 100 pupils on roll. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024/25.

Key stage 4 results

Against Derbyshire and England, secondary schools.

Attainment 8

2025/26 (provisional)

38.7

Derbyshire
45.8
England
47.4

8.7 lower than England.

33.741.248.72021/222022/232023/242024/252025/26
This schoolDerbyshireEngland
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Attainment 8
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2021/22Not published48.049.8
2022/23Not published45.447.2
2023/2438.045.146.9
2024/2532.645.547.1
2025/26 (provisional)38.745.847.4

The average of pupils' points across eight GCSE-level qualifications, with English and maths counted twice. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

English and maths: grade 4 or above

2025/26 (provisional)

49%

Derbyshire
66%
England
66%

17 percentage points lower than England.

3954682021/222022/232023/242024/252025/26
This schoolDerbyshireEngland
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English and maths: grade 4 or above
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2021/22Not published69%70%
2022/23Not published65%67%
2023/2449%65%67%
2024/2537%66%66%
2025/26 (provisional)49%66%66%

Pupils at the end of key stage 4 with grade 4 or above in both English and maths. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

English and maths: grade 5 or above

2025/26 (provisional)

29%

Derbyshire
45%
England
48%

19 percentage points lower than England.

2537492021/222022/232023/242024/252025/26
This schoolDerbyshireEngland
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English and maths: grade 5 or above
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2021/22Not published48%51%
2022/23Not published44%46%
2023/2427%45%47%
2024/2523%43%47%
2025/26 (provisional)29%45%48%

Pupils at the end of key stage 4 with grade 5 or above in both English and maths. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.

Pupils

Against Derbyshire and England, secondary schools.

Eligible for free school meals

2024/25

41.3%

Derbyshire
28.0%
England
25.8%

15.5 percentage points higher than England.

22.231.140.02021/222022/232023/242024/25
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Eligible for free school meals
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2021/22Not published21.4%20.9%
2022/2335.2%23.6%22.7%
2023/2439.6%25.1%24.1%
2024/2541.3%28.0%25.8%

Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals on census day in January. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

SEN support

2024/25

20.6%

Derbyshire
14.4%
England
13.4%

7.2 percentage points higher than England.

12.516.320.02021/222022/232023/242024/25
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SEN support
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2021/22Not published12.0%11.9%
2022/2317.9%13.1%12.4%
2023/2419.4%13.8%12.9%
2024/2520.6%14.4%13.4%

Pupils receiving special educational needs support without an education, health and care plan. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Education, health and care plan

2024/25

3.3%

Derbyshire
3.7%
England
3.1%

0.2 percentage points higher than England.

2.33.03.62021/222022/232023/242024/25
This schoolDerbyshireEngland
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Education, health and care plan
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2021/22Not published2.3%2.2%
2022/232.6%2.5%2.4%
2023/242.7%3.1%2.7%
2024/253.3%3.7%3.1%

Pupils with an education, health and care plan. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

First language other than English

2024/25

3.1%

Derbyshire
3.4%
England
19.2%

16.1 percentage points lower than England.

3.210.618.12021/222022/232023/242024/25
This schoolDerbyshireEngland
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First language other than English
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2021/22Not published2.2%17.5%
2022/231.9%2.8%18.1%
2023/242.6%3.1%18.6%
2024/253.1%3.4%19.2%

Pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Teachers

Against Derbyshire and England, secondary schools.

Pupils per qualified teacher

2025/26

18.9

Derbyshire
17.4
England
17.3

1.6 higher than England.

16.618.420.22017/182025/26
This schoolDerbyshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Pupils per qualified teacher
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2017/18Not published16.316.5
2018/19Not published16.916.8
2019/20Not published17.317.2
2020/21Not published17.417.1
2021/22Not published17.417.1
2022/2317.517.217.2
2023/2418.417.517.4
2024/2520.517.417.3
2025/2618.917.417.3

Full-time equivalent pupils for each full-time equivalent qualified teacher. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, School workforce in England, 2025/26.

Teacher sickness absence

2024/25

4.2 days

Derbyshire
5.7 days
England
5.0 days

0.8 days lower than England.

Compared with all state-funded schools: DfE publishes this measure for all schools, not by phase.

0.54.07.42017/182024/25
This schoolDerbyshireEnglandShaded: COVID years, no comparable data
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Teacher sickness absence
YearThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
2017/18Not published5.2 days4.0 days
2018/19Not published5.2 days4.0 days
2019/20Not publishedNot publishedNot published
2020/21Not published4.8 days3.9 days
2021/220.0 days7.9 days6.3 days
2022/236.8 days6.1 days5.2 days
2023/243.2 days6.2 days5.3 days
2024/254.2 days5.7 days5.0 days

Days lost to sickness absence in the school year, averaged across all teachers. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, School workforce in England, 2024/25.

Finance

Academies report their accounts as part of their trust, so DfE publishes no school-level balance for this school. The trust’s figures are in DfE’s Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool.

See this school in the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool

About the school

Pupils on roll
592
Capacity
750
Type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
Age range
11 to 16
Sixth form
Does not have a sixth form
Admissions
Non-selective
Gender
Mixed
Trust
LIONHEART EDUCATIONAL TRUST
Opened
1 September 2022
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Constituency
South Derbyshire
Deprivation of the area (IDACI)
Decile 3 of 10 (1 is the most deprived tenth of neighbourhoods)

Address: Sunnyside, Newhall, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 0TL

Website: www.merciaacademy.org.uk

Telephone: 01283216404

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Sources and corrections

Every figure on this page names its source and period. This release was built on 20 October 2026.

Spotted something wrong? Report a correction with the school’s URN (149380). Fixes go out in the next weekly release.

Mercia Academy, URN 149380. https://joshuamangas.com/intel/school/149380/. Data release 20 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.