OFSTED
24 October 2023
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Outstanding
OEIF
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership & management
Outstanding
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Free schools
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
Local authority
Leicester
Trust
THE MEAD EDUCATIONAL TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,223
1,223 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
622
50.9% of pupils
Male pupils
601
49.1% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
23.0 pts
above England
School
47.8%
Leicester
27.7%
East Midlands
25.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
31.1 pts
above England
School
51.4%
Leicester
53.6%
East Midlands
18.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.0 pts
in line with England
School
1.0%
Leicester
0.6%
East Midlands
0.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
22.8%
279
Any other White background
15.6%
191
African
15.0%
183
Indian
11.4%
139
Any other Asian background
6.1%
74
Any other ethnic group
5.9%
72
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
18.8%
230 of
1,223 pupils
2.0 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
0.9 pts
above
England
6.0%
2.9 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
48.0
8.8 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.14 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
9.29%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
3.07 pts
higher than
England
School
9.29%
Leicester
6.66%
East Midlands
5.90%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
22.96%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
7.14 pts
higher than
England
School
22.96%
Leicester
18.63%
East Midlands
14.53%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
6.03%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
4.22 pts
higher than
England
School
6.03%
Leicester
2.18%
East Midlands
1.72%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
101.9%
9.6 pts
above England
Castle Mead Academy
101.9%
Leicester
97.5%
East Midlands
94.2%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.