| Administrative History | A National School was built in Chesterfield Road in 1846 to accommodate 232 children. The school was enlarged at various dates in the 19th century to accommodate more children and to make provision for single sex education. In 1920 these Church of England schools, by then in an advanced state of dilapidation, were adopted by the County Council who proceeded to erect new buildings. Financial constraints meant much of this construction work was of a piecemeal nature.
Mr Wilfred Dawes was appointed headteacher of Alfreton Senior Boys's School in 1939, with Miss Jessie Creswell as headteacher of Alfreton Senior Girls School. In 1954, when Miss Jessie Creswell retired, the two schools were joined and became known as Mortimer Wilson County Secondary School, named after one time chair of the County Council's Education Committee, Alderman William Mortimer Wilson.
During the period Wilfred Dawes was Headteacher, the school became known nationally for the number of its pupils who had failed the 11 plus exam going onto college and university after leaving Mortimer Wilson School.
The sixth-form was created in 1959 and in 1967 became a comprehensive school.
Mr Wilfred Dawes retired as Headteacher in 1974.
In September 2008 the school became known as Alfreton Grange Arts College.
In September 2016 the school became known as David Nieper Academy. |
| Custodial History | These records were transferred to the Record Office in July 1999. More material was gifted to Derbyshire Record Office in October 2024 by a descendant of Wilfred Dawes, Head Teacher at Mortimer Wilson School 1939-1974. |