Huntingdon Academy

Huntingdon Academy is a highly effective and welcoming primary school where pupils achieve exceptionally well and behave exceptionally well. Inspectors found the curriculum meticulously structured, reading taught with expertise from Nursery onwards, and strong support for pupils with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language. Pupils feel safe, take on responsibilities with pride, and benefit from a wide range of high-quality wider curriculum experiences. The early years provision is described as a magical place to learn, with well-established routines and activities closely matched to children’s needs and interests. Personal development is exceptionally well crafted, helping pupils understand healthy relationships, safety, and mental health, while staff, governors, and the trust work harmoniously. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005, although it had previously been judged outstanding before opening as an academy. It is part of LEAD Academy Trust. No areas of concern or weakness were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Curriculum is meticulously well structured and logically ordered
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge and break learning into small steps
• Teachers check understanding skilfully and address misconceptions quickly
• Activities are adapted effectively so pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum
• Reading is a sharp focus from Nursery onwards and staff deliver phonics with expertise
• Pupils who fall behind in reading receive effective support to catch up quickly
• The early years environment is well established and closely matched to children’s needs and interests
• Support for pupils who speak English as an additional language is exemplary
• Pupils are exceptionally well behaved and demonstrate the school’s values consistently
• Pupils take on responsibilities with pride and develop a strong sense of responsibility
• The personal, social and health education curriculum is exceptionally well crafted
• Pupils benefit from an extensive range of high-quality wider curriculum experiences
• Staff are proud to be part of the school and feel supported with workload and well-being
• Governors, trust and school staff work in harmony
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

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 Huntingdon Academy attended 94.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 1.4% of pupils at Huntingdon Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were 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 Huntingdon Academy had 20.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 19.4% of pupils at Huntingdon Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Huntingdon Academy received £7,925 and spent £7,907 for each of its 419 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £146,000 (£349 per pupil).

Across all 27 schools of L.E.A.D. Academy Trust, income was £8,020 and spending £8,028 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 Nottingham · Nottingham local authority: places and applications

Huntingdon Academy is part of L.E.A.D. Academy Trust, which runs 27 schools. The nearest others:

• Sycamore Academy Nottingham
• St Ann's Well Academy Nottingham
• Windmill L.E.A.D. Academy Nottingham
• Hogarth Academy Nottingham
• Radford Primary School Academy Nottingham
• Edna G. Olds Academy Nottingham
• Jubilee L.E.A.D. Academy Nottingham
• Warren Primary Academy Nottingham
• The Glapton Academy Nottingham
• Cloudside Academy Nottingham

What is Huntingdon Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Huntingdon Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in October 2024.

When was Huntingdon Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Huntingdon Academy was last inspected in October 2024.

How many pupils does Huntingdon Academy have?

Huntingdon Academy has 434 pupils on roll.

What age range does Huntingdon Academy cover?

Huntingdon Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Huntingdon Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 93% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Huntingdon Academy?

Huntingdon Academy is at Alfred Street Central, St Ann's, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG3 4AY.