The new Free School, The Waterside Primary Academy, has been approved by the Department for Education and will be sponsored by the Greenwood Academies Trust.

The academy will be situated adjacent to the new housing developments in the Trent Basin area of Nottingham, Trent Lane NG2 4DT.

The academy will be a 210 place primary school with a 30 FTE nursery and will open with  30 pupils in reception year and grow year on year until full. It will provide an inclusive education to all of the children within the local community, the Free School will work closely with the local Nottingham Primary Academy (Greenwood Academies Trust) which is one of the highest achieving schools in the city of Nottingham to deliver this vision. The Free School will be part of an established network of 24 GAT primary academies across the East Midlands and the East of England. It will also join the well-established Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire region of two secondary academies, one special academy and four primary academies. All academies in this region are judged as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in their most recent inspection. Primary outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged children are strong in the region due to the culture of collaboration between the academies.

The Free School’s core purpose will be to ensure that learning, progress and achievement is outstanding and that aspirations are high for every individual pupil. The ethos and culture will nurture and support all pupils so that they feel secure in their learning and are able to take advantage of a wide range of opportunities. This will be achieved through praise and encouragement, outstanding pedagogical standards, high expectations and excellence in all aspects of school life.

The Free School will develop strong relationships with all stakeholders. Individuals and groups associated with the proposed Free School will be encouraged to share their learning and expertise. Positive partnerships will be encouraged with parents and members of the wider community for the benefit of all pupils. Keep your eye on the website for further information on the consultation process.

The Free School will uphold traditional values such as good behaviour, respect and dignity for all members of its community.

Updates about the opening of the new school will be posted on the news section.

For any enquiries, please email: waterside@greenwoodacademies.org

Thank you for your interest in The Waterside Primary Academy. The decision about its opening is made by the Department for Education, not Greenwood Academies Trust. However, we can confirm that The Waterside Primary Academy is not due to open for the 2025/2026 academic year and Nottingham City Council will not be accepting applications for children to start school there in September 2025. We expect to receive more information in the coming weeks and will share any updates as soon as they’re available.