Great Dalby School

Great Dalby School is a small primary academy in the Bradgate Education Partnership that continues to perform strongly. This was its first routine inspection since the pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2014; under current arrangements it does not receive an overall effectiveness grade. Inspectors found high expectations, an ambitious and well-organised curriculum, and highly effective phonics teaching. Pupils are fluent, keen readers, behave exceptionally well and show exemplary attitudes to learning, while personal development and early years provision are also strong. The school is well led and trust oversight is robust. There are two clear areas for improvement. In a few subjects, essential knowledge is not defined clearly enough, so teachers do not always focus on it and pupils are not as well prepared to deepen their understanding over time. For pupils with SEND, support is effective overall and identification has improved, but curriculum adaptations are not always precise enough to overcome specific barriers to learning, meaning some pupils do not build knowledge as successfully as they could. Safeguarding is effective.

Strengths

• Highly effective, enthusiastic phonics teaching that develops fluent and keen readers
• An ambitious and engaging curriculum that is well organised for mixed-age classes
• Teachers explain concepts clearly, check understanding and address misconceptions skilfully
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and exceptional attitudes to learning
• Carefully considered personal development, including safety and responsible citizenship
• Improved identification and support for pupils with SEND
• Robust trust oversight and strong consideration of staff well-being and workload

Areas for Improvement

• In a few subjects, essential knowledge is not clearly identified in the curriculum, so pupils do not deepen their understanding as well as they should
• Curriculum adaptations for pupils with SEND are sometimes not precise enough to overcome individual barriers to 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 Great Dalby School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.7% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Great Dalby School 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 Great Dalby School had 22.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.5% 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, 13.1% of pupils at Great Dalby School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.6% 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 Great Dalby School received £6,984 and spent £7,069 for each of its 135 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £88,000 (£649 per pupil).

Across all 19 schools of Bradgate Education Partnership, income was £7,352 and spending £7,630 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

Great Dalby School is part of Bradgate Education Partnership, which runs 19 schools. The nearest others:

• Swallowdale Primary School and Community Centre Melton Mowbray
• Gaddesby Primary School Leicester
• Broomfield Community Primary School Leicester
• Wreake Valley Academy Leicester
• The Pochin School Leicester
• The Merton Primary School Leicester
• Seagrave Village Primary School Loughborough
• Eastfield Primary School Leicester
• The Roundhill Academy Leicester
• Highgate Primary School Loughborough

What is Great Dalby School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Great Dalby School is Good, from an inspection in April 2025.

When was Great Dalby School last inspected by Ofsted?

Great Dalby School was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does Great Dalby School have?

Great Dalby School has 137 pupils on roll.

What age range does Great Dalby School cover?

Great Dalby School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Great Dalby School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Great Dalby School?

Great Dalby School is at Top End, Great Dalby, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 2HA.