Lime Academy Orton

Lime Academy Orton is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 with severe or profound and multiple learning needs, all of whom have education, health and care plans. This was its first section 5 inspection, and it joined Lime Trust in 2020; the interim headteacher took up post in September 2024. Inspectors found a caring, can-do school where pupils are happy, confident and engaged in learning. The tailored curriculum, strong reading provision, effective use of EHC plans, calm behaviour and well-developed enrichment help pupils communicate, become more independent and prepare for adult life. Sixth-form students are positive about their aspirations and make successful transitions. All key judgements were good, and safeguarding is effective. Leaders and the trust have established effective governance, and parents and staff are very positive. The main area for improvement is the precision of some 'inspire' curriculum areas: in these areas, staff are not always clear enough about the exact knowledge and vocabulary pupils must learn, so pupils can forget what has been taught. The school needs to specify this essential knowledge across all curriculum areas.

Strengths

• Tailored curriculum meets pupils' severe or profound learning needs and is well sequenced
• Effective use of EHC plans to plan and deliver learning
• Staff check pupils' knowledge precisely and use it to plan next steps
• Strong reading provision, including sensory story work in early years and phonics later
• Calm lessons and strong relationships built on trust
• Pupils attend regularly and the school helps families overcome attendance barriers
• Well-developed enrichment programme and bespoke trips and activities
• Good preparation for adulthood, including self-care, work experience and transitions
• Effective governance and strong trust support and challenge
• Parents and staff are very positive; staff value professional development and workload support
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Sixth-form students speak confidently about their aspirations and make positive transitions

Areas for Improvement

• Some 'inspire' curriculum areas lack precise specification of essential knowledge
• Teachers are not always clear which knowledge and vocabulary to emphasise and review
• Pupils can forget what has been taught in these areas
• The school needs to specify exact knowledge pupils must learn and remember over time across all curriculum areas

In 2024–25 pupils at Lime Academy Orton attended 85.9% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 42.6% 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 Lime Academy Orton 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 Lime Academy Orton had 7.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.3% 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 Lime Academy Orton had 152 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder.

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 Lime Academy Orton received £34,009 and spent £30,535 for each of its 153 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £434,000 (£2,839 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 Orton is part of Lime Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• Lime Academy Abbotsmede Peterborough
• Lime Academy Watergall Peterborough
• Lime Academy Parnwell 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 Orton's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lime Academy Orton is Good, from an inspection in October 2024.

When was Lime Academy Orton last inspected by Ofsted?

Lime Academy Orton was last inspected in October 2024.

How many pupils does Lime Academy Orton have?

Lime Academy Orton has 152 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lime Academy Orton cover?

Lime Academy Orton for pupils aged 2 to 19.

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

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lime Academy Orton?

Lime Academy Orton is at Clayton Site, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 5SD.