Meadowgate Academy, Wisbech
Meadowgate Academy is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Wisbech, part of Affinity Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2011)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Meadowgate Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Meadowgate Academy are On Track Education Wisbech (0.9 miles, Good); Cambian Wisbech School (1 mile, Good); Begdale House School (1.9 miles); and Walnut Tree School Ltd (2.4 miles, selective).
On Track Education WisbechCambian Wisbech SchoolBegdale House SchoolWalnut Tree School Ltd
The trust
Meadowgate Academy is run by its own single-school academy trust.
What parents say
24 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Meadowgate Academy (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (83%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 21 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 5% to a further education college.
Who goes there
57.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 10.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Meadowgate Academy has an education, health and care plan (180 of 180 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Meadowgate Academy provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Meadowgate Academy.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 233 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Meadowgate Academy issued 5 suspensions, 2.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2011, 15 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Meadowgate Academy is a caring, highly supportive school where your child will be known and understood as an individual. Staff are expert at tailoring learning to meet complex needs, using a range of strategies and devices, and celebrating even the smallest successes. The school combines academic learning with practical life skills, helping older pupils develop the confidence and independence they need for adult life.
Key Strengths
- Highly nurturing environment where all pupils, regardless of starting point, receive immediate and appropriate support to settle and thrive
- Strong focus on developing communication skills and independence through flexible, responsive curriculum and varied strategies
- Staff are skilled at checking understanding and adjusting teaching 'in the moment' to meet the wide range of needs in each class
- Excellent practical life skills provision including 'the bungalow' and 'Bramley's café' to build confidence and independence
- Effective behaviour support systems and calm routines that help pupils feel secure and manage their feelings
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with strong systems in place to protect pupils.
Extracurricular Activities
Bramley's café (work experience), the bungalow (life skills learning)
Meadowgate Academy is a highly nurturing special school that has maintained outstanding standards since its previous inspection. The school provides expert, tailored support for pupils with complex needs and disabilities, helping them develop confidence, communication skills, and independence.
At a Glance
57.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Speech and language +5
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
24 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Meadowgate Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Meadowgate Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Meadowgate Academy is in Cambridgeshire; for families living there:
- Cambridgeshire's school travel policy: School Travel Assistance Policy - Mainstream September 2025 326KB - pdf
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Wisbech
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wisbech
Across Cambridgeshire council
Places available
7,228
Applications
6,755
Got 1st preference
88.3%
Got preferred school
96.6%
All secondary applications across Cambridgeshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
180
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Meadowgate Academy provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
180
Total Pupils
121
Boys
59
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
33
Teachers
5.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,257
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.9%
Overall absence
22.1%
Persistent absence
140
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Meadowgate Academy
What are SATs results like at Meadowgate Academy?
Of the pupils at Meadowgate Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Meadowgate Academy's Ofsted rating?
Meadowgate Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2011, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Meadowgate Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Meadowgate Academy is oversubscribed, Cambridgeshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Meadowgate Academy?
Meadowgate Academy has around 180 pupils on roll. 57% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Meadowgate Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Meadowgate Academy provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Meadowgate Academy?
7.9% of sessions were missed at Meadowgate Academy in 2024/25. 22.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Meadowgate Academy?
Apply through Cambridgeshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Meadowgate Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Meadowgate Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Meadowgate Academy?
Meadowgate Academy is at Meadowgate Lane, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE13 2JH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)