Schools by area › Leicester › Orchard Mead Academy
Orchard Mead Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Keyham Lane West, Leicester LE5 1RT · orchard-tmet.uk · 0116 241 3371
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Jun 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 38.9
- average Attainment 8 score. Leicester 45.5, England 46
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Year 7, September 2026 entry · Leicester Council
- Demand for places
- 0.7
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,007
- 84% of 1,200 places
- Local authority
- Leicester
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 42.1%
- First language not English
- 41.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Leicester Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 153 families put the school first and 205 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 205 | 153 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 203 | 150 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 208 | 148 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 204 | 179 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 207 | 158 | 0.8 | 98% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 38.9, and 35.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Leicester it was 45.5, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼38.9 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼35.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼49.6% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼7.6% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.31 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 120285)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 6.6 | +5.3 |
| Sixth form college | 39.9 | +3.1 |
| Further education | 34.6 | 0 |
| Employment | 0.9 | −3.8 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 8.8 | −3.2 |
| Activity not captured | 9.2 | +1.5 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Orchard Mead Academy on 2 June 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 2 Jun 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Feb 2022
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 120285), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Feb 2022Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Oct 2016Inadequate
Leadership and management Inadequate Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 120285)
What parents said
37% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (30 replies, to 2 January 2023).
- Recommend
- 37%
- Replies
- 30
- 3% · 2 Jan 2023
based on the 97% who raised concerns
based on the 67% who had a child bullied