[2] The school is located on the edge of Lydney, a small river-side town in the Royal Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire.

It joined the Prospects Academy Trust but continued to co-ordinate with Gloucestershire County Council for admissions.

[6] In November 2015, the Dean Academy was put into special measures after a critical Ofsted report,[7] and the headteacher, David Gaston, resigned.

[8] Following his resignation, John Barrett was head appointed teacher for the 2015–2016 school year.

[9] The Dean Academy offers GCSEs, BTECs, OCR Nationals and ASDAN courses and programmes of study for pupils.