General Information
NUAST combines the specialist curriculums usually only available in colleges with the pastoral care, guidance and support traditionally offered by secondary schools and academies. On this page you can find out a little more about what makes NUAST so special.
Pastoral Care
The NUAST staff team is dedicated to ensuring that our students receive excellent teaching and excellent care. Support for our young people is a priority and we pride ourselves on the care and guidance given to all students from all staff. Our staff share a student-centred approach in all that we do. We have a highly skilled inclusion team which consists of pastoral and learning support staff who work together to enable students to excel. We firmly believe that for students to be successful the partnership between home and school is of paramount importance and we encourage parents/carers to work with us as a team.
We have high expectations which are all underpinned by our fundamental belief that everyone should be respected and respect each other. These expectations are clear when you you visit the school and see the positive relationships that staff and students have.
The Academy Day
Our working day starts at 8:30am and finishes at 3.00pm Monday–Friday. Intervention and enrichment activities take place until 3:50pm on Tuesdays and Wednesday. Staff CPD takes place every Monday between 3.10pm and 4:10pm.
Built into the working week are opportunities for supervised study and enrichment activities. Students will be allocated intervention study and enrichment activities which will take place at the end of the academy day.
Beyond our taught curriculum there is a range of activities available allowing students to fully explore their interests. Please see our prospectus for more details on the enrichment activities on offer.
Student Dress Code
Students in Years 7–11 are expected to wear the academy uniform, which consists of a NUAST-branded grey blazer, white shirt/blouse, academy tie (different design for each year group) and black trousers/skirt.
Sixth Form students are permitted to wear their own business dress, in line with academy standards. A full overview of our dress codes are available below.
Transition arrangements
We understand that the transition from primary to secondary education can be both an exciting and a challenging process for pupils and parents/carers.
Our transition arrangements are carefully planned to ensure that students are ready for a successful and enjoyable Year 7. Arrangements start in Year 5 and build up to a full academy visit in the summer term of Year 6.
If you have any questions regarding transition at any stage of the process, please do not hesitate to ask. Staff are always available to answer questions at our various events or you can email the academy at any time. As well as visiting our linked primary schools, we regularly run information evenings. Details can be found on our Events page.
We welcome visits to the academy from prospective parents/carers and students. If you would like to arrange a visit or if you have any questions, please contact the academy by phone or email.
We look forward to welcoming you and your child to NUAST.
Transport links
The NUAST building is situated in Dunkirk, close to the University of Nottingham and the Queen’s Medical Centre. Transport access to the building is excellent, with cycle paths and bus/tram stops within easy walking distance.
Buses
The 34 Orange Line bus service departs from Lace Street in Dunkirk every few minutes during the day. Students can also catch the 34, 35 and 36 Orange Line bus services from the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) bus stop on Derby Road. The Barton Skylink service departs from Abbey Street every 20 minutes during the day.
Trams
The Nottingham Express Transit (NET) tram stops regularly at the new QMC tram stop opposite NUAST on the Toton Line. This makes NUAST easy to access from Nottingham city centre, Beeston, Basford, Bulwell and Hucknall. By using the tram, journey times to Old Market Square takes only 15 minutes and travelling to the centre of Beeston takes 10 minutes.
Cycling
NUAST provides a bike shelter for those students wishing to cycle.
Route 6 of the Sustrans Cycle Network passes NUAST through the grounds of the QMC and there is a traffic-free cycle route from NUAST to the city centre alongside the Nottingham Canal. There are signposted routes to Beeston and the north of the city via the cycle path alongside the ring road.