Lime Academy Abbotsmede

Lime Academy Abbotsmede is a larger-than-average primary in a diverse and relatively deprived area, with high free school meals and a significant number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. The school is part of Lime Trust and had an interim headteacher at the time of this full section 5 inspection. Inspectors judged the school to be at the expected standard across all evaluated areas, with safeguarding standards met. Pupils, including those with SEND, progress well from their different starting points, behaviour is strong, and leaders have created a welcoming, inclusive culture. Notable strengths include improvements to the curriculum, particularly in reading and oracy, effective phonics and early reading provision, strong writing and mathematics outcomes by the end of Year 6, and good support for disadvantaged pupils. Attendance is a clear priority and persistent absence is improving, while pupils feel safe and benefit from a well-planned personal development programme and free wider opportunities. Concerns remain. Reading outcomes and combined reading, writing and mathematics outcomes are still below national averages, although improving. Persistent absence and lateness remain issues. Teaching and assessment are not consistently building on what pupils already know, especially in writing across subjects. Early years staff do not always proactively engage the children who need most support, and leaders do not routinely track which pupils miss wider experiences. These are the main areas for continued improvement.

Strengths

• Pupils progress well from their various starting points, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
• Phonics and Year 4 multiplication outcomes are above national averages.
• Pupils achieve well in writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• Reading outcomes are improving rapidly, with recent curriculum changes strengthening early reading.
• Disadvantaged pupils perform well in national tests, especially in writing and mathematics.
• Attendance is a high priority and persistent absence is improving, with disadvantaged pupils' attendance broadly in line with national averages.
• Pupils behave consistently well, are self-disciplined and show highly positive attitudes to learning.
• Pupils feel safe and know staff will listen and respond to concerns, including through the worry box.
• The curriculum is clear, well planned and supported by ongoing professional learning for staff.
• Teaching is generally well structured, with teachers checking understanding and adapting learning.
• Early years provision is calm, purposeful and strong in developing communication, language and phonics.
• Pupils with SEND receive effective tailored support, including in quieter spaces or smaller groups.
• Leaders know the community well and support pupils new to English through pictures, symbols and oracy.
• Trustees are solution-focused, analyse performance data and remove barriers to extracurricular participation.
• Personal development is coherent, covering healthy relationships, online safety, mental health and British values.
• Pupils benefit from free clubs and visits that broaden their horizons and build aspirations.

Areas for Improvement

• Reading and combined reading, writing and mathematics outcomes remain below national averages.
• Some pupils still arrive late, and persistent absence remains above national averages.
• Teacher expectations and the development of pupils' written work are inconsistent across subjects.
• Assessment does not consistently inform teaching so that learning builds on what pupils already know and can do.
• In early years, some tasks are too complex and staff do not always proactively seek out children who need the most language support.
• Leaders do not routinely track pupils' wider experiences, so some pupils who would benefit may miss extracurricular opportunities.

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 Lime Academy Abbotsmede attended 94.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 21.6% 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, 0.9% of pupils at Lime Academy Abbotsmede 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 Lime Academy Abbotsmede had 16.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.8% 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, 19.4% of pupils at Lime Academy Abbotsmede were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 Lime Academy Abbotsmede received £7,804 and spent £8,287 for each of its 430 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,087,000 (£2,528 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of Lime Trust, income was £16,022 and spending £15,651 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 Peterborough · Peterborough local authority: places and applications

Lime Academy Abbotsmede is part of Lime Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• Lime Academy Parnwell Peterborough
• Lime Academy Watergall Peterborough
• Lime Academy Orton Peterborough
• Lime Academy Hartwell Luton
• Lime Academy Larkswood London
• Lime Academy Hornbeam London
• Lime Academy Forest Approach Romford
• Lime Academy Ravensbourne Romford

What is Lime Academy Abbotsmede's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lime Academy Abbotsmede is Expected standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was Lime Academy Abbotsmede last inspected by Ofsted?

Lime Academy Abbotsmede was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Lime Academy Abbotsmede have?

Lime Academy Abbotsmede has 423 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lime Academy Abbotsmede cover?

Lime Academy Abbotsmede for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Lime Academy Abbotsmede's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lime Academy Abbotsmede?

Lime Academy Abbotsmede is at Kingsley Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 5JS.