Newcroft Primary Academy

Newcroft Primary Academy is performing exceptionally well across all areas of its provision. This was its first section 5 inspection as an academy, although its predecessor school had previously been judged outstanding, and the school remains part of the Symphony Learning Trust. Inspectors found a school where pupils are happy, safe and highly motivated, with exemplary behaviour and strong attendance. The curriculum is very well designed and consistently delivered, and reading is central to the school’s work from the early years onwards. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, achieve exceptionally well. Staff adapt teaching effectively so that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum, and early years provision is especially strong. Personal development is extensive, with a notable emphasis on character, diversity, enrichment and future aspirations. Parents are overwhelmingly positive, staff are proud to work at the school, and trust and governance are closely involved in supporting high standards. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. No areas for improvement were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Reading is at the heart of the school’s provision and pupils develop a strong passion for reading.
• Phonics is taught precisely from Reception, with quick intervention so pupils become confident and fluent readers.
• The curriculum is extremely well designed, logically sequenced and consistently implemented.
• Staff benefit from rigorous professional development and are exceptionally well prepared to teach.
• Teaching is effectively adapted so that pupils with SEND access the curriculum with ease and achieve well.
• Early years provision is highly effective, with strong routines, high expectations and flourishing children.
• Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary, and attitudes to learning are consistently strong.
• Attendance is high because staff work exceptionally well with pupils and families.
• Personal development provision is extensive and promotes tolerance, respect and character development exceptionally well.
• Enrichment activities and career engagement are broad and inspired by pupils’ interests.
• The trust and governing body play an intrinsic role in developing the school and supporting staff well-being.
• 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 Newcroft Primary Academy attended 97.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.5% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Newcroft Primary 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 Newcroft Primary Academy had 26.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.1% 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, 9.3% of pupils at Newcroft Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.0% 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 Newcroft Primary Academy received £6,257 and spent £6,189 for each of its 396 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £295,000 (£744 per pupil).

Across all 17 schools of Symphony Learning Trust, income was £6,407 and spending £6,172 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 Loughborough · Leicestershire local authority: places and applications

Newcroft Primary Academy is part of Symphony Learning Trust, which runs 20 schools. The nearest others:

• Hugglescote Community Primary School Coalville
• Orchard Community Primary School Derby
• Thornton Primary School Coalville
• Ashby Willesley Primary School Ashby-De-La-Zouch
• Ashby Hastings Primary School Ashby-De-La-Zouch
• Ashby Hill Top Primary School Ashby-De-La-Zouch
• The Hall School Leicester
• Donisthorpe Primary School Swadlincote
• Glen Hills Primary School Leicester
• Fairfield Community Primary School Wigston

What is Newcroft Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Newcroft Primary Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was Newcroft Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Newcroft Primary Academy was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does Newcroft Primary Academy have?

Newcroft Primary Academy has 442 pupils on roll.

What age range does Newcroft Primary Academy cover?

Newcroft Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Newcroft Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 88% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Newcroft Primary Academy?

Newcroft Primary Academy is at Trueway Drive, Shepshed, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 9DU.