Limehurst Academy, Loughborough

Ofsted's report card from its 23 June 2026 inspection grades Limehurst Academy on 6 areas: 1 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Pupils are very well prepared for their next steps."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve securely across the curriculum."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have made attendance a key priority."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching across the school."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have created an inclusive culture within the school."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders reinforce the school's commitment to ‘achievement in a caring environment'."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to embed strategies to improve overall attendance"; "Leaders should ensure that staff consistently use their knowledge of pupils to adapt their teaching to provide appropriate support and challenge"; "Leaders should continue to develop the curriculum so that, in all subjects, teachers know precisely what key subject-specific knowledge and vocabulary pupils need over time"; "Leaders should ensure that monitoring and evaluation of all areas of the school's work are consistently rigorous and precise so that leaders' actions are sharply focused on what needs to improve".

In its own words: "We strive to be a happy and successful school, and we actively promote positive choices and having a can-do attitude. Our school motto is Achievement in a Caring Environment. Everyone in our school community makes a positive contribution and that is why we believe we are an inclusive school."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am very proud that I can introduce Limehurst Academy to you as an 11-16 school. For many years, our students and their parents have been telling us that they would relish the opportunity to study at Limehurst Academy beyond the age of 14."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, basketball, badminton, multi-sports, drama and recorder.

In 2026, pupils at Limehurst Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.8 in Leicestershire and 47 across England.

47% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in Leicestershire and 47% in England.

That is down from 48.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.28: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 35.8, against 51 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, French and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 137 families put Limehurst Academy as their first choice and 361 named it as one of their preferences, for 121 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 21 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Limehurst Academy are De Lisle College Loughborough Leicestershire (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 57.5); Charnwood College (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.6); Woodbrook Vale School (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.4); and Rawlins (2.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44).

Limehurst Academy's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Limehurst Academy is one of 24 schools run by East Midlands Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51.3 in 2024/25.

Of the 122 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 77% to a further education college and 3% into work.

39.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 54.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (40%), Asian (32%) and Mixed (8%).

Limehurst Academy had 48 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Loughborough (Leics) Rail Station, about 870 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fennel Street (stand fa), 110 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 407 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Leicestershire (58), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Limehurst Academy issued 110 suspensions, 16.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to Limehurst Academy are Rendell Primary School (0.2 miles); Saint Mary's Catholic Primary School, Loughborough (0.4 miles); Cobden Primary School & Community Centre (0.4 miles); and Loughborough Church of England Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.