Matthew Barlow
BBC News, Derby
BBC
Principal Matt Jones said a lot of people have been involved in the evolution of the school
A school in Heanor that was heavily criticised by inspectors a decade ago has been shortlisted for an international award in honour of its community work.
Heanor Gate Spencer Academy was branded “inadequate” by Ofsted inspectors in 2013 but has been rated as “outstanding” since 2023.
Now it has earned a nomination in the Community Collaboration category of the World’s Best School Prizes event, organised by educational platform T4 Education, in recognition of its work with a local foodbank, care home and boxing gym.
Principal Matt Jones told the BBC he wanted his school to be “at the heart of the community” rather than just being about classroom lessons.
Lottie, 14, said the nomination was a great opportunity for the school to get noticed
Mr Jones said the school had stepped up its community involvement since the Covid pandemic.
“There have been a lot of people involved in the evolution of the school,” he said.
“It’s not just academic success, rising through the ranks Ofsted, but also developing community partnerships.”
“I think Covid brought us all together as a community.
“There was a lot of work to do to support families through that period. Money was tight and we had to do as much as we could to try and provide support that was more than education and our school did fantastically well.”
The school has teamed up with Heanor’s Salcare Foodbank with pupils working to help cut the stigma for people using this service.
They have also collaborated with a local primary school to help residents in nearby care homes and children from the school regularly have boxing coaching at the Full Power Fitness gym.
Lottie, 14, welcomed the school award nomination, saying: “I think it is a great opportunity for the school to be seen and noticed and it makes me proud that I am part of the school.
“When I was told it [the award scheme] was worldwide I was shocked that we had made it into the top ten.”
Pupils regularly train at a local boxing gym
T4 Education founder Vikas Pota said: “It is in schools like Heanor Gate Spencer Academy where we find the innovations and expertise that give us hope for a better future.
“Congratulations on becoming a finalist for the World’s Best School Prizes 2025. Leaders and schools around the world have so much to learn from this inspirational Derbyshire institution.”
There are four other categories in the competition and the winners will be announced at the World Schools Summit in the United Arab Emirates in November.
Listen: Is this Derby school the best in the world?
