Medeshamstede Academy, Peterborough
Medeshamstede Academy is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Peterborough, part of Greenwood Academies Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Medeshamstede Academy in detail
Medeshamstede Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Our mission is simple, we strive to provide the very best for every child, every day. In doing so our pupils are at the centre of everything we do, creating an environment that supports development and prepares each child for the future by fostering knowledge and skill which will allow them to thrive in adult life."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Medeshamstede Academy are NeneGate (0.4 miles); Marshfields School (0.8 miles, Good); The Beeches Independent School (1.7 miles, Requires improvement, selective); and Heltwate School (2.5 miles, Good).
NeneGateMarshfields SchoolThe Beeches Independent SchoolHeltwate School
The trust
Medeshamstede Academy is one of 38 schools run by Greenwood Academies Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
19 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Medeshamstede Academy (as of September 2025): 42% would recommend the school, 68% say their child is happy there and 30% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (68%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (30%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 15 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 73% to a further education college.
Who goes there
54.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 20.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Medeshamstede Academy has an education, health and care plan (114 of 114 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Medeshamstede Academy has a SEN unit for autism: 117 places, 118 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Peterborough Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ashcroft Gardens (opposite), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Medeshamstede Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Medeshamstede Academy issued 10 suspensions, 8.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at building caring relationships where every pupil is valued as an individual. Staff provide excellent support for pupils' emotional wellbeing, creating a calm environment where behaviour is good. The school is particularly strong at teaching reading and helping older pupils develop life skills through work experience and outdoor learning in the forest area.
Key Strengths
- Warm relationships between staff and pupils create a calm, purposeful learning environment
- Effective phonics teaching with strong support for pupils who find reading difficult
- Well-tailored support for pupils' social and emotional needs, helping them manage feelings and behaviour
- Strong attendance improvements through proactive follow-up with families
- Rich personal, social and health education curriculum that prepares pupils for life challenges
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching quality and curriculum delivery is inconsistent across the school, with some pupils not receiving the education they need
- Assessment information is not always used effectively to adapt the curriculum for individual pupils, leading to some pupils developing misconceptions
- Not all staff have the subject knowledge and skills needed to teach the curriculum well to all pupils
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a strong culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, work experience, forest area activities
Medeshamstede Academy is a special school for pupils with autism aged 4-16 that has made significant improvements since its previous inspection. While behaviour and personal development are good, the quality of education requires improvement due to inconsistencies in how the curriculum is taught across the school.
At a Glance
54.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
19 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Medeshamstede Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Medeshamstede Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Medeshamstede Academy is in Peterborough; for families living there:
- Peterborough's school travel policy: Mainstream school transport assistance policy
- How to apply: Apply online for school transport for 4 to 16 year olds
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 24
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 19 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 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 Peterborough is 16 (the median across 91 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
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
114 pupils
117 places
3 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Peterborough
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Peterborough
Across Peterborough council
Places available
3,127
Applications
2,762
Got 1st preference
82.9%
Got preferred school
96.6%
All secondary applications across Peterborough council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
114
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Medeshamstede Academy has a SEN unit for autism: 117 places, 118 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
114
Total Pupils
101
Boys
13
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
5.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,828
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.5%
Overall absence
40.9%
Persistent absence
115
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
Medeshamstede Academy
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Medeshamstede Academy
What are GCSE results like at Medeshamstede Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Medeshamstede Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 1.7. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Medeshamstede Academy's Ofsted rating?
Medeshamstede Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Medeshamstede Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Medeshamstede Academy is oversubscribed, Peterborough allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Medeshamstede Academy?
Medeshamstede Academy has around 114 pupils on roll. 54% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Medeshamstede Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Medeshamstede Academy has a SEN unit for autism: 117 places, 118 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Medeshamstede Academy?
12.5% of sessions were missed at Medeshamstede Academy in 2024/25. 40.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Medeshamstede Academy?
Apply through Peterborough's coordinated admissions process, naming Medeshamstede 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 Medeshamstede Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 19 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 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 Peterborough is 16 (the median across 91 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Medeshamstede Academy?
Medeshamstede Academy is at Reeves Way, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 5LQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)