Ofsted: Outstanding trending_up Popular emoji_events #9 in Leicester public Top 16% UK

Castle Mead Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Thomas Hague

corporate_fareTHE MEAD EDUCATIONAL TRUST

location_onLeicester, LE3 5QT

language Visit Website phone 1162143150

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Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2023

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Students

966

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Attainment 8

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GCSE Rank

#10 in Leicester

#1,218 of 3,216 nationally

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Castle Mead Academy is a Free schools secondary school in Leicester, serving ages 11-16. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade. Demand is above capacity (1.4×) — apply through your local authority on time.

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School Summary

Castle Mead Academy is a free schools in Leicester, admitting pupils aged 11-16. It is part of THE MEAD EDUCATIONAL TRUST. The school has approximately 1,240 pupils on roll, of whom 45% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 48, placing the school #10 in Leicester and #1,218 of 3,216 nationally. 55.30% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 22.9% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Outstanding, behaviour and attitudes Outstanding, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Outstanding.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.4× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 19.2:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 13.6 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

55.30%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)22.9%

Entering EBacc78.00%

EBacc APS4.56

2024

Progress 8 Score

0.14

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc81.30%

EBacc APS4.45

2023

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2022

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

24 October 2023

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

1 Evaluations

2023-10-24

S5 Inspection EIF

Outstanding

Education

Outstanding

Behaviour

Outstanding

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

14.6%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

7.5%(93 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,240 pupils. During this period, there were 181 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 14.6%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,240	181	14.6%	7.3%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,242	157	12.6%	7.8%
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,229	179	14.6%	7.4%
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,227	140	11.4%	7.1%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,222	147	12.0%	8.2%
2022/23 (Summer term)	966	60	6.2%	6.6%
2022/23 (Spring term)	966	75	7.8%	6.4%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	960	72	7.5%	5.9%
2021/22 (Summer term)	713	36	5.0%	4.7%
2021/22 (Spring term)	716	52	7.3%	4.9%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	713	39	5.5%	4.4%
2020/21 (Summer term)	477	25	5.2%	3.6%
2020/21 (Spring term)	481	4	0.8%	1.0%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	472	16	3.4%	3.9%
2019/20 (Summer term)	237	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	237	18	7.6%	3.2%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	234	24	10.3%	4.2%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 88 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 45 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 29 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 26 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 20 pupils

Hearing Impairment 6 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 6 pupils

Visual Impairment 4 pupils

Physical Disability 3 pupils