Millside Spencer Academy

Opened in 2022 and part of Spencer Academies Trust, Millside Spencer Academy is a small primary free school whose first section 5 inspection found a nurturing, inclusive and happy community. Pupils feel safe and proud to belong, relationships between staff and pupils are strong, behaviour is exemplary, and pupils are motivated and achieve well. Reading and phonics are clear priorities, pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported effectively, and personal development is exceptional, with a wide range of opportunities and overwhelmingly supportive parents. Safeguarding is effective. The main areas for improvement concern the curriculum in some wider subjects, where learning does not consistently build on prior knowledge, so pupils’ knowledge is less secure. In early years, play-based learning does not always show clear progression from Nursery to Reception, and in music learning does not always build the knowledge and skills pupils need for future learning. Leaders also lack precise approaches to monitoring and measuring curriculum impact across all areas, including early years. Leaders, governors and trust representatives know the school well and provide effective support and challenge.

Strengths

• Nurturing and inclusive culture where pupils feel safe, cared for and proud to belong
• Strong, warm relationships between staff and pupils
• Exemplary behaviour and mature attitudes to learning
• High expectations that are consistently realised across the school
• Broad and ambitious curriculum
• Reading is a clear priority, with well-taught phonics and a strong reading spine
• Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported to access the full curriculum
• Exceptional personal development offer with wide-ranging opportunities and experiences
• Effective support and challenge from governors and trust representatives
• Staff well-being is prioritised and staff are proud to work at the school

Areas for Improvement

• In some wider curriculum areas, learning does not consistently build on what pupils already know
• Pupils’ knowledge is less secure in some wider curriculum subjects
• Early years play-based learning does not always show clear progression from Nursery to Reception
• Music learning does not always provide the knowledge and skills needed for future learning
• Approaches to measuring curriculum impact lack precision and are not fully established, including in early years

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 Millside Spencer Academy attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.5% 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 Millside Spencer 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 Millside Spencer Academy had 20.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 10.3% of pupils at Millside Spencer Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.7% 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 Millside Spencer Academy received £6,780 and spent £6,967 for each of its 169 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £14,000 (-£80 per pupil).

Across all 27 schools of The Spencer Academies Trust, income was £7,619 and spending £7,638 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 Loughborough · Nottinghamshire local authority: places and applications

Millside Spencer Academy is part of The Spencer Academies Trust, which runs 27 schools. The nearest others:

• Farnborough Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Rosecliffe Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Chetwynd Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Rushcliffe Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Bispham Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Sunnyside Spencer Academy Nottingham
• George Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Fairfield Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Portland Spencer Academy Nottingham
• Glenbrook Spencer Academy Nottingham

What is Millside Spencer Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Millside Spencer Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2025.

When was Millside Spencer Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Millside Spencer Academy was last inspected in July 2025.

How many pupils does Millside Spencer Academy have?

Millside Spencer Academy has 184 pupils on roll.

What age range does Millside Spencer Academy cover?

Millside Spencer Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Millside Spencer Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Millside Spencer Academy?

Millside Spencer Academy is at 53 Evans Road, East Leake, Loughborough, Nottinghamshire, LE12 6AS.