Our Story
The Christopher Nieper Education Trust Story
Christopher Nieper Education Trust was established in 2015 to support the transformation of Alfreton Grange, a struggling secondary school with a long history of under-performance, poor results, declining pupil numbers and the loss of its sixth form.
Our sponsor is a local family run business, David Nieper Ltd., a high-end women’s fashion company which has been at the heart of Alfreton for over 60 years. They are passionate about unlocking local talent for the benefit of the entire community.
https://www.davidnieper.co.uk/
In the early years, all efforts were focused on transforming the school (renamed David Nieper Academy), moving it to a brand-new building, reopening the sixth form and turning around the academy's fortunes. In 2022, Ofsted rated the academy 'Good' after seeing for themselves the transformation of the school. This was the school's best Ofsted result in 20 years.
Building on success
Now the Christopher Nieper Education Trust is looking to build on its success and welcome other like-minded, thriving schools who see the benefits of working together in a small Multi-academy trust.
In 2022, we were joined by Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School, already rated 'Good' by Ofsted, and will welcome our third school, Shirland Primary, another 'Good' school, in summer 2024.
Outstanding Governance Award
In 2023, the Trust won a National Governance Association's award for 'Outstanding Governance’ at the David Nieper Academy. The judges said:
The board understands and works to ensure it reflects the community it serves, and demonstrates a passion for raising pupils' aspirations and equipping them with the education and skills they need to fulfil their potential.
If you would like to discuss how your school might benefit from joining Christopher Nieper Education Trust, please do contact us for an initial, informal discussion.