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Academy sponsor led · Leicester

Orchard Mead Academy

  • 11–16Ages
  • 1,007Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 144629URN

Keyham Lane West, Leicester, LE5 1RT · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jun 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.2per place
1.0 below Leicester median (2.2)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Leicester

250 applications for 205 places · 20th of 21 in Leicester
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
40.4of 90
16th of 21 in Leicester
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 2 June 2026Published 6 July 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 2 June 2026
    Report card · 1 Strong standard, 4 Expected standard, 1 Needs attention
  2. 8 February 2022
    Graded inspection: 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
1.2applications per place, Year 7
1.0 below Leicester median (2.2) 1.0 below England median (2.2)

250 applications · 205 places offered · 153 named it first

  1. 2026 1.2; Leicester median median 2.2
  2. 2025 1.2; Leicester median median 2.1
  3. 2024 1.2; Leicester median median 2.1
  4. 2023 1.4; Leicester median median 2.0
  5. 2022 1.2; Leicester median median 1.7
  6. 2021 1.2; Leicester median median 1.7
  7. 2020 1.2; Leicester median median 1.9
  8. 2019 1.2; Leicester median median 1.9
  9. 2018 1.1; Leicester median median 1.7
  10. 2017 1.0; Leicester median median 1.6; as the previous school
  11. 2016 1.3; Leicester median median 2.2; as the previous school
  12. 2015 1.0; Leicester median median 2.1; as the previous school
  13. 2014 0.9; Leicester median median 1.9; as the previous school
More applications per place than the Leicester median in 0 of 9 years.
  • This school
  • Leicester median

Dashed bars: as Hamilton College (URN 120285), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262052501.21530.75
Sep 20252032501.21500.74
Sep 20242082511.21480.71
Sep 20232042771.41790.88
Sep 20222072431.21580.76
Sep 20212072461.21530.74
Sep 20202162661.21590.74
Sep 20192062361.21460.71
Sep 20181791931.11220.68
Sep 2017 *2192261.01340.61
Sep 2016 *1882491.31350.72
Sep 2015 *2112201.01260.60
Sep 2014 *2061810.91120.54

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

199 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)40.416th of 21 in Leicester
Grade 5 or above in English and maths34%17th of 21 in Leicester
Grade 4 or above in English and maths53%
  • This school
  • Leicester median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.69
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)19940.434%53%–
2024/2522438.935%50%–
2023/2422837.028%48%−0.69
2022/2322634.626%44%−0.61

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

  • 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 sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
144629 · 856/4006
Trust
The Mead Educational Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,200 pupils · 1,007 on roll
Free school meals
42.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision
SEN unit
Opened
1 September 2017
Replaced
Hamilton College (URN 120285)
Address
Keyham Lane West, Leicester, LE5 1RT
Local authority
Leicester

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources