The Meadows School

The Meadows School, which has not been inspected before, is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in all inspected areas. The school provides a supportive and enjoyable environment for pupils, who report feeling happy and safe. Strong relationships between staff and students contribute to a positive school atmosphere, characterized by good behavior and rare incidents of bullying. Notably, the school excels in providing a broad range of extracurricular activities and effective support for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), ensuring that they are well-prepared for future education and training.

Strengths

• Positive relationships between staff and pupils
• Wide range of extracurricular activities
• Effective support for SEND students
• High levels of pupil happiness and engagement
• Well-prepared sixth form students for post-16 education

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils struggle to understand the meaning of 'bullying'
• Inconsistent assessment practices across subjects
• Some interventions need rigorous evaluation for better outcomes

In 2024–25 pupils at The Meadows School attended 91.4% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 21.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

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 The Meadows School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). 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 The Meadows School had 8.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

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 The Meadows School had 129 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

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 special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Meadows School received £24,725 and spent £24,275 for each of its 129 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £872,000 (£6,757 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of Manor Hall Academy Trust, income was £31,857 and spending £31,448 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 Leek · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

The Meadows School is part of Manor Hall Academy Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Springfield School Leek
• Cicely Haughton School Stoke-On-Trent
• Manor Abbey School Stoke-On-Trent
• Merryfields School Newcastle
• Loxley Hall School Uttoxeter
• Adelaide School Crewe
• Adelaide Heath Academy Knutsford
• Sherbrook Primary School Cannock
• Rocklands School Lichfield
• Shenstone Lodge School Lichfield

What is The Meadows School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Meadows School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was The Meadows School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Meadows School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does The Meadows School have?

The Meadows School has 129 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Meadows School cover?

The Meadows School for pupils aged 11 to 19.

Where is The Meadows School?

The Meadows School is at Springfield Road, Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 6EU.