Lodge Park Academy

Lodge Park Academy has undergone significant changes since its last inspection, with new leadership appointed at principal and executive principal level. Leaders, supported by the David Ross Education Trust, have implemented swift improvements that are recognised by staff and pupils. The school is graded 'Strong standard' overall, with leadership and governance, personal development and wellbeing, and post-16 provision all judged strong. Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have restored relationships with parents and the community, and staff feel valued and well supported. Notable strengths include a strong sense of community, high-quality personal development, and effective sixth form provision where students achieve well and progress to positive destinations. Behaviour has improved, with calm and purposeful lessons, and attendance rates are improving, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Inclusion is described as a distinctive strength, with leaders highly ambitious for all learners. However, pupils' achievement remains a concern. Published outcomes from 2025 show attainment below national averages across a range of subjects, and disadvantaged pupils' performance is particularly low. The quality of some pupils' work is variable, and teaching does not consistently adapt to meet individual learning needs. Attendance, while improving, remains above national averages for overall and persistent absence. Leaders have acted quickly to address these issues, but the full impact of their actions is yet to be seen.

Strengths

• Strong and ambitious leadership, effectively supported by the trust.
• Staff feel valued and supported, with tailored professional development.
• Personal development and wellbeing provision is a priority, fostering a strong sense of community.
• Sixth form provision is strong, with students achieving well and progressing to purposeful next steps.
• Behaviour and attendance have improved significantly, with suspensions reducing.
• Inclusion is a distinctive strength, with leaders highly ambitious for all learners.
• Safeguarding culture is open and positive, with all legal requirements met.
• High participation in extra-curricular activities, especially by disadvantaged pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' attainment is below national averages across a range of subjects.
• Disadvantaged pupils' performance is particularly low, with a large gap compared to non-disadvantaged peers.
• Teaching does not consistently adapt to meet pupils' specific learning needs.
• Pupils do not routinely apply reading, writing, and mathematics skills across different subjects.
• Attendance rates, while improving, remain above national averages for overall and persistent absence.
• The quality of some pupils' work is variable, including in key stage 3.

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 Lodge Park Academy attended 86.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 36.0% 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, 22.8% of pupils at Lodge Park Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 7 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 Lodge Park Academy had 15.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.2% 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, 21.5% of pupils at Lodge Park Academy 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 Lodge Park Academy received £9,901 and spent £9,123 for each of its 801 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £988,000 (£1,233 per pupil).

Across all 36 schools of The David Ross Education Trust, income was £8,189 and spending £8,020 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 Corby · North Northamptonshire local authority: places and applications

Lodge Park Academy is part of The David Ross Education Trust, which runs 36 schools. The nearest others:

• Rockingham Primary School Corby
• Bringhurst Primary School Market Harborough
• Greenfields Primary School and Nursery Kettering
• The Arbours Primary Academy Northampton
• Eastfield Academy Northampton
• Cedar Road Primary School Northampton
• Malcolm Arnold Academy Northampton
• Malcolm Arnold Preparatory School Northampton
• Kings Heath Primary Academy Northampton
• Briar Hill Primary School & Nursery Northampton

What is Lodge Park Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lodge Park Academy is Needs attention, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Lodge Park Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Lodge Park Academy was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Lodge Park Academy have?

Lodge Park Academy has 703 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lodge Park Academy cover?

Lodge Park Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Lodge Park Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 37.0, and 27% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Lodge Park Academy?

Lodge Park Academy is at Shetland Way, Corby, Northamptonshire, NN17 2JH.