John Ferneley College

John Ferneley College is currently rated as 'Requires Improvement' primarily due to inconsistencies in the quality of education provided to its pupils. Despite some positive developments in behavior and personal development, the school has struggled with leadership and management, particularly following changes in senior leadership. Plans for improvement are identified, but they are still in early stages and have yet to show significant impact on student outcomes. Concerns from parents indicate a need for clearer communication and execution of academic standards which the school is addressing.

Strengths

• Most pupils behave well in lessons.
• There are positive relationships between staff and pupils.
• Pupils feel safe in school.
• The school has a clear behaviour system that pupils understand.
• Pupils have opportunities to contribute to school life.
• Pupils appreciate after-school revision sessions.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in the quality of education provided across subjects.
• Some teachers do not check pupils' understanding adequately.
• Gaps in learning and misconceptions are not always addressed.
• Not all teachers ensure that students produce high-quality work.
• Some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could due to insufficient support.

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 John Ferneley College attended 90.3% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 23.9% 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, 10.2% of pupils at John Ferneley College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 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 John Ferneley College had 17.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.7% 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, 12.0% of pupils at John Ferneley College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.8% 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 John Ferneley College received £7,326 and spent £7,222 for each of its 1,194 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £944,000 (£790 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of Mowbray Education Trust Limited, income was £7,598 and spending £7,528 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 Melton Mowbray · Leicestershire local authority: places and applications

John Ferneley College is part of Mowbray Education Trust Limited, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• Brownlow Primary School Melton Mowbray
• The Grove Primary School Melton Mowbray
• Sherard Primary School Melton Mowbray
• Ab Kettleby Primary School Melton Mowbray
• Somerby Primary School Melton Mowbray
• Buckminster Primary School Grantham
• Iveshead School Loughborough

What is John Ferneley College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for John Ferneley College is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was John Ferneley College last inspected by Ofsted?

John Ferneley College was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does John Ferneley College have?

John Ferneley College has 1,170 pupils on roll.

What age range does John Ferneley College cover?

John Ferneley College for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are John Ferneley College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 41.7, and 33% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is John Ferneley College?

John Ferneley College is at Scalford Road, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 1LH.