Rushcliffe GCSE results 2026: what 2 of 8 schools said

Two of the eight secondary schools in Rushcliffe have published GCSE figures for this summer. Rushcliffe Spencer Academy in West Bridgford and East Leake Academy both put numbers on their own websites on results day, Thursday 20 August. The other six published none, and neither did Nottinghamshire County Council.

We went through every school’s own site rather than take figures second hand. Here is what is actually on the record, and what the national figures say about it.

Rushcliffe Spencer Academy

The Boundary Road school reported four figures:

• 42% of all grades awarded were a 7 or above
• 10% of all grades awarded were a grade 9
• nearly three quarters of students got a strong pass, grade 5 or above, in both English and maths
• 30% got grades 9 to 7 in both English and maths, which the school calls its best ever result

The first two of those can be checked directly against the national picture, because they measure the same thing: the share of grades, not the share of pupils.

Across England this summer, 23.1% of GCSE grades taken by 16-year-olds were a 7 or above, and 5.2% were a grade 9, according to the Joint Council for Qualifications results table for England. So on both measures the school is running at close to double the national rate.

Principal Sarah Sismey said: “I could not be prouder of this cohort of students. Having missed out on so much at the end of their primary education due to the pandemic, they have risen to every challenge we’ve given to them.”

One caveat on reading it as an improvement. Last year the school said “close to three quarters” got a grade 5 in English and maths and “almost 30%” got grade 7 and above in the two subjects. Those are the same phrases, so on the school’s own published wording this year’s headline measures are level with 2025 rather than up. The 2025 announcement also gave a grade 4 figure, “over 85%” in English and maths; the 2026 one does not, so that comparison cannot be made.

East Leake Academy

East Leake reported that 76% of students secured a grade 4 or above in English and mathematics, and that attainment averaged a grade 5, with what it called exceptional performance in English language and English literature.

That 76% is a per-pupil measure, so the JCQ grade shares are not the right comparison for it. The right one is the Department for Education’s key stage 4 data, and there is no 2026 national figure for it yet: DfE publishes provisional figures in October. Against the most recent published year, 2024/25, the England average for state-funded schools was 64.8%, the East Midlands 64.0% and Nottinghamshire 67.7%, on DfE’s key stage 4 performance data. East Leake’s 76% is comfortably above all three, with the year mismatch stated.

Principal Tom Reid said: “This year’s GCSE results are some of the best and reflect the hard work and dedication from the students, their families and our staff.”

The six that published nothing

This is not a criticism of the schools. There is no requirement to publish results in August, and verified performance tables come out later in the year. But it does mean a parent in most of Rushcliffe has no figure to look at, and it is the reason this piece is shorter than it should be.

Checked on 24 August, four days after results day, some of those pages are a long way behind. The West Bridgford School’s “Results 2026” page has been updated, but with A-level figures only, and its latest news item about GCSEs dates from August 2024. The Nottingham Emmanuel School’s “Our Results” page still shows 2024. The Becket School’s exam page is headed “Examination Results 2025” and the sentence that should carry the figures ends without any. Toot Hill School’s news page last ran an item on 8 July, and The South Wolds Academy’s on 24 July. South Nottinghamshire Academy has posted about results day on social media but has published no school-level figures.

Nottinghamshire County Council congratulated students on results day without giving a single number, county-wide or otherwise.

We used the Department for Education’s register of schools to build that list, so it covers every open state secondary in the borough with a Year 11, and no others.

What it means for you

If your child’s grade looks wrong, there are two services and both close on the same day.

• A clerical re-check confirms the marks were added up and recorded correctly, and is completed within 10 calendar days
• A review of marking has the paper looked at again, and is completed within 20 calendar days
• The deadline for both is Thursday 24 September 2026

Two things families regularly get wrong about this, both confirmed on JCQ’s post-results page. The request has to go through the school’s exams officer, not direct to the exam board, and it needs the student’s written consent first. And there is no grade protection: a mark can go down as well as up, the request cannot be withdrawn once the mark falls, and the original grade is not reinstated.

The priority review service that ran on 20 August does not apply here. That one is only for A-levels, AS and level 3 vocational qualifications.

If English or maths needs a resit, the November series is the next chance, and entries go through the school. Anyone weighing up next steps can call the National Careers Service exam results helpline on 0800 100 900, which the county council is pointing students to.

Sources: Rushcliffe Spencer Academy and East Leake Academy results-day announcements, 20 August 2026; JCQ table 2, GCSE results by main grades, subjects, age and sex, England, 2026; DfE key stage 4 performance data, geography by school types, 2024/25; DfE Get Information About Schools register; Nottinghamshire County Council newsroom. All school websites checked on 24 August 2026.