Lancaster Academy

Lancaster Academy has shown commendable progress since its last inspection, now rated as good overall. The school provides a supportive and inclusive environment for a diverse student body, many of whom face significant challenges. It emphasizes respect and community, fostering positive relationships between staff and students. With a commitment to high expectations for behavior and a broad curriculum, students are equipped for their future educational paths. Despite these strengths, there are areas requiring improvement, particularly in the consistent implementation of the curriculum and attendance rates, which affect student learning and outcomes.

Strengths

• Welcoming and inclusive school environment.
• Strong emphasis on respect and community among pupils.
• High expectations for pupil behavior.
• Ambitious and broad curriculum preparing students for future education.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND.
• Strong commitment to personal development and career readiness.
• Encouragement of extra-curricular activities and leadership opportunities.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent implementation of the curriculum in some subjects.
• Some teachers move on too quickly without addressing gaps in knowledge.
• Attendance issues, particularly among SEND and disadvantaged pupils.

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 Lancaster Academy attended 91.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 28.2% 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, 7.0% of pupils at Lancaster Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Lancaster Academy had 17.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.7% 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, 10.9% of pupils at Lancaster Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.9% 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 Lancaster Academy received £9,570 and spent £8,980 for each of its 962 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,255,000 (£1,304 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Learning Without Limits Academy Trust, income was £9,074 and spending £9,110 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 Leicester · Leicester local authority: places and applications

Lancaster Academy is part of Learning Without Limits Academy Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• South Wigston High School Wigston
• Babington Academy Leicester
• Woodstock Primary Academy Leicester
• Heatherbrook Primary Academy Leicester

What is Lancaster Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lancaster Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Lancaster Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Lancaster Academy was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Lancaster Academy have?

Lancaster Academy has 883 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lancaster Academy cover?

Lancaster Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Lancaster Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 32.1, and 20% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Lancaster Academy?

Lancaster Academy is at Knighton Lane East, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE2 6FU.