Wilsthorpe School, has received national recognition after being mentioned by the Secretary of State for Education, The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, during a speech at the RISE attainment conference this week.

Speaking about schools that are leading the way in improving outcomes for young people, Ms Phillipson highlighted Wilsthorpe as a good example of high-quality teaching, community engagement and strong transition support between primary and secondary school.

During her address, Phillipson said:
“Take Wilsthorpe School in Derbyshire… They look at the patterns of poor attendance in primary – and use that to inform their transition plans for new year 7s. But the head, Derek Hobbs, like a lot of heads, knows that strong transitions are built on strong partnerships with parents.”

She went on to praise the school’s focus on working closely with families to support students joining Year 7, noting the way families are kept informed and involved from the start and how community connections are strengthened through inclusive events and local partnerships.

Phillipson concluded:
“And you know what – the hard work is paying off. Suspensions are low. Exclusions are low. And attendance is high – especially in Year 7. Attainment 8, strong and improving. And Progress 8, strong and improving – including for disadvantaged children. That, as we know, is the prize on offer. To deliver better life chances for children.”

This recognition follows several years of sustained growth for Wilsthorpe School. The percentage of students achieving a Grade 4 or better in both Maths and English has risen from 58% in 2018 to 77% in 2025, while the average grade across all subjects has increased from just above a Grade 4 to above a Grade 5 across the same period. Staff absence is significantly below national averages and student attendance was 1.6% above national averages in 2024-25, which is equivalent to over 3,000 additional school days in total across the year.

The school’s continued success has also led to growing popularity, expanding from 900 students before the pandemic to 1,250 today. The Sixth Form has doubled in size and now benefits from a purpose-built £8 million facility which opened in September 2024.

As a result of this success, the Department for Education invited Executive Headteacher, Derek Hobbs, and The Two Counties Trust’s Chief Executive Officer, Wesley Davies, to present at the upcoming RISE Conference on Raising Attainment in the East Midlands, where they will lead a session on literacy.

Reflecting on the recent recognition, Derek Hobbs said:
“I’m delighted with the recognition from the Secretary of State for Education for our brilliant school community and proud of every student and member of staff who works so hard each day to make Wilsthorpe School the special place it is.”

Wesley Davies, Chief Executive Officer, also added:
“I am really pleased that success of Wilsthorpe School has been acknowledged in a recent address by the Secretary State. School improvement takes both time and hard work by staff, students and families and this has certainly been the case at Wilsthorpe. Over the last few years a high-value curriculum has been implemented and a compelling learning culture has been crafted which means Wilsthorpe is a school where everyone can thrive.”