Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy

Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy is a vibrant, nurturing primary school that inspectors found to be performing at an exceptionally high level across every judged area. This was its first routine section 5 inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first under section 5 following conversion to academy status within the Thomas Aquinas Catholic Multi-Academy Trust; because of inspection changes from September 2024, no overall effectiveness grade was awarded. The school was previously judged outstanding as a primary school before conversion. Pupils thrive in a culture of kindness and respect, and they are enthusiastic, confident learners. The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced from early years to Year 6, and pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, study the full curriculum and achieve well. Reading is a particular strength, with a consistently implemented phonics programme and strong support for pupils who fall behind. Early years provision gives children an excellent start, and pupils develop excellent mathematical knowledge and strong subject understanding across the curriculum. Behaviour is exemplary, attendance is high, and pupils show mature respect for diversity and equality. The school offers a rich wider programme of clubs, trips, leadership opportunities and careers education, and it prioritises mental health and well-being. Leaders, governors and trustees have a clear vision and a deep understanding of the school’s strengths, staff feel valued and well trained, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Inspectors identified no areas of concern in this report.

Strengths

• A vibrant and nurturing culture built on kindness and respect
• Pupils are enthusiastic, confident and highly engaged learners
• An ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum from early years to Year 6
• Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils access the full curriculum and achieve well
• Excellent early years provision with strong language development
• Exceptional reading development and a consistently implemented phonics programme
• Strong mathematical knowledge, reasoning and problem-solving
• Effective teaching that checks understanding and addresses misconceptions quickly
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and high attendance
• A rich personal development programme with clubs, trips, leadership and careers education
• Strong leadership with a clear improvement vision and effective governance
• 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 Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy attended 96.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.5% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Christ the King Catholic Voluntary 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 Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy had 27.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.2% 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, 12.6% of pupils at Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.8% 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 Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy received £7,611 and spent £7,455 for each of its 628 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £424,000 (£674 per pupil).

Across all 23 schools of St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,145 and spending £7,245 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

Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy is part of St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which runs 23 schools. The nearest others:

• English Martyrs' Catholic School, A Voluntary Academy Leicester
• Sacred Heart Catholic Voluntary Academy Leicester
• Saint Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy Leicester
• St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy Leicester
• Holy Cross Catholic School, a Voluntary Academy Leicester
• St Paul's Catholic School, a Voluntary Academy Leicester
• Saint John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy, Wigston, Leicestershire Wigston
• St Joseph's Catholic Academy Leicester
• Bishop Ellis Catholic Voluntary Academy Leicester
• Saint Peters Catholic Voluntary Academy

What is Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy have?

Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy has 645 pupils on roll.

What age range does Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy cover?

Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 54% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy?

Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy is at Glenfield Road, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE3 6DF.