Sycamore Academy

Sycamore Academy remains a good school, fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and valued. The school is committed to providing quality education and has made improvements in curriculum planning and delivery, though some subjects experience inconsistent implementation. With a focus on reading and vocabulary development, pupils are encouraged to become enthusiastic learners who take pride in their contributions to the school community. The school effectively supports pupils' well-being and is responsive to their needs, including those with SEND, although there are areas for enhancing support and curriculum adaptations for these pupils. The school has undergone significant staff changes recently, yet continues to work closely with the L.E.A.D. Academy Trust to ensure ongoing improvement. While the general atmosphere is positive and learning is largely uninterrupted, there are demonstrated concerns regarding the curriculum delivery in a few subjects. Furthermore, for some pupils with SEND, the need for tailored support remains a priority in order for them to achieve independence and fluency in their learning.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and enjoy a welcoming school environment.
• There is a strong emphasis on reading and vocabulary development.
• The curriculum is well-taught in most subjects.
• Pupils have opportunities for diverse experiences, including music, sports, and residential trips.
• The school nurtures pupils' talents and interests effectively.
• Staff feel supported and valued in their roles.

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not consistently well implemented.
• Some pupils with SEND do not achieve needed fluency and independence in their learning.

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 Sycamore Academy attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.1% 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, 2.5% of pupils at Sycamore 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 Sycamore Academy had 21.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 24.7% 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, 19.5% of pupils at Sycamore Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.4% 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 Sycamore Academy received £8,520 and spent £8,378 for each of its 433 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £151,000 (£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

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

• Huntingdon Academy Nottingham
• St Ann's Well Academy Nottingham
• Hogarth Academy Nottingham
• Windmill L.E.A.D. 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 Sycamore Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sycamore Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was Sycamore Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Sycamore Academy was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does Sycamore Academy have?

Sycamore Academy has 466 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sycamore Academy cover?

Sycamore Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 51% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sycamore Academy?

Sycamore Academy is at Abbotsford Drive, St Ann's, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG3 4QP.