Academy converter · Leicestershire

Great Bowden Academy, A Church of England Primary School

4–11Ages
137Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
138359URN

Gunnsbrook Close, Great Bowden, Market Harborough, LE16 7HZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

4.0per place

1.3 above Leicestershire median (2.7)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Leicestershire

72 applications for 18 places · 19th of 176 in Leicestershire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

60%met the expected standard

Leicestershire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 1 October 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

4.0applications per place, Reception

1.3 above Leicestershire median (2.7) 1.8 above England median (2.2)

72 applications · 18 places offered · 17 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 4.0; Leicestershire median median 2.7
2025 6.4; Leicestershire median median 2.8
2024 4.2; Leicestershire median median 2.4
2023 4.3; Leicestershire median median 2.3
2022 3.5; Leicestershire median median 1.9
2021 2.4; Leicestershire median median 1.8
2020 2.8; Leicestershire median median 1.8
2019 3.0; Leicestershire median median 1.9
2018 3.3; Leicestershire median median 1.8
2017 3.7; Leicestershire median median 1.8
2016 3.0; Leicestershire median median 1.8
2015 2.8; Leicestershire median median 1.7
2014 1.9; Leicestershire median median 1.7

More applications per place than the Leicestershire median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Leicestershire median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	18	72	4.0	17	0.94
Sep 2025	20	127	6.4	28	1.40
Sep 2024	20	83	4.2	23	1.15
Sep 2023	20	86	4.3	23	1.15
Sep 2022	20	70	3.5	20	1.00
Sep 2021	20	48	2.4	21	1.05
Sep 2020	20	55	2.8	26	1.30
Sep 2019	20	60	3.0	23	1.15
Sep 2018	20	66	3.3	25	1.25
Sep 2017	20	73	3.7	26	1.30
Sep 2016	18	54	3.0	17	0.94
Sep 2015	20	55	2.8	26	1.30
Sep 2014	22	42	1.9	27	1.23

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 80% · Writing 80% · Maths 70% → all three 60% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard60%118th of 211 in Leicestershire

Leicestershire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard80%

Leicestershire 80% England 78%

Higher standard45%

Leicestershire 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard80%

Leicestershire 74% England 75%

Greater depth15%

Leicestershire 7% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard70%

Leicestershire 79% England 77%

Higher standard20%

Leicestershire 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Leicestershire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	60%	10%	106	103
2023/24	69%	8%	109	104
2022/23	76%	6%	110	105

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Great Bowden Academy, A Church of England Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

4.0applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Ridgeway Primary Academy
0.8 km · Leicestershire

2026

4.5applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Meadowdale Primary School
1.2 km · Leicestershire

Remains Good2024

3.2applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Market Harborough Church of England Academy
1.9 km · Leicestershire

Standards maintained2025

2.8applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
St Joseph's Catholic Voluntary Academy
2.1 km · Leicestershire

Standards maintained2025

2.3applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Little Bowden School
2.1 km · Leicestershire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.6applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Wellington Place Primary School
2.5 km · Leicestershire

Not yet inspected

2.8applications per place
Farndon Fields Primary School
3.2 km · Leicestershire

Remains Good2023

2.5applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
Lubenham All Saints Church of England Primary School
4.0 km · Leicestershire

Remains Good · improving2023

4.3applications per place 90%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 138359 · 855/3059
Trust: Learn Academies Trust
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 157 pupils · 137 on roll
Free school meals: 14.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 July 2012
Replaced: Great Bowden Church of England Primary School (URN 120145)
Address: Gunnsbrook Close, Great Bowden, Market Harborough, LE16 7HZ
Local authority: Leicestershire · Harborough

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources