St Ivo Academy

St Ivo Academy has made significant improvements since its previous inspection and is now performing well across various areas of school life. The school is committed to fostering a positive learning environment, where teachers have high expectations of their pupils, encouraging them to achieve their best. Despite some mixed feedback from older students regarding recent changes, many appreciate the enhancements and positive relationships they have with their teachers. The school's curriculum is ambitious and designed to support all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), although there are still areas that require further attention to ensure all pupils receive equitable support.

Strengths

• Positive relationships between pupils and teachers
• Strong performance in GCSE examinations
• Broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils
• Teachers provide clear explanations and examples
• Effective reading programme fostering confidence and fluency
• Well-planned personal development and careers programme
• High expectations for pupil behavior resulting in a calm learning environment

Areas for Improvement

• Plans for pupils with SEND lack precision, affecting their learning
• Limited opportunities for developing wider interests and enrichment activities

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Ivo Academy attended 91.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 21.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 7.0% of pupils at St Ivo Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Ivo Academy had 17.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 11.8% of pupils at St Ivo Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 St Ivo Academy received £7,991 and spent £7,686 for each of its 1,495 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £524,000 (£350 per pupil).

Across all 26 schools of Astrea Academy Trust, income was £8,290 and spending £8,206 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in St Ives · Cambridgeshire local authority: places and applications

St Ivo Academy is part of Astrea Academy Trust, which runs 26 schools. The nearest others:

• Cottenham Village College Cambridge
• The Centre School Cambridge
• Longsands Academy St Neots
• Ernulf Academy St. Neots
• Lower Meadow Primary School Sheffield
• Astrea Academy Woodfields Doncaster
• Waverley Academy Doncaster
• Atlas Academy Doncaster
• Intake Primary Academy Doncaster
• Hexthorpe Primary School Doncaster

What is St Ivo Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Ivo Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was St Ivo Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St Ivo Academy was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does St Ivo Academy have?

St Ivo Academy has 1,378 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Ivo Academy cover?

St Ivo Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are St Ivo Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 51.3, and 57% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is St Ivo Academy?

St Ivo Academy is at High Leys, St Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 6RR.