Spark Vale Academy, Leicester
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 7 months agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The school has created a broad curriculum covering core subjects plus the arts and physical education. It has established a careers programme for secondary pupils and plans to work with local artists and community organisations to enrich learning. The school has an accessibility plan and is committed to teaching about British values and drawing on the diversity of its local multicultural community.
Key Strengths
- Broad curriculum offer covering English, mathematics, science, technology, humanities, physical education and the arts
- Secondary careers programme that meets requirements and provides impartial information about different professions
- Personal, social, health and economic education and relationships and sex education curricula meet standards
- Accessibility plan in place to support pupils with additional needs
- Plans to collaborate with local artists and community organisations for enrichment
Areas for Improvement
- Premises do not meet safety standards - unsafe fire exits and pupils can leave the site unnoticed
- Behaviour policy lacks clear procedures for managing inappropriate behaviour, such as searching pupils or confiscating items
- Curriculum does not adequately consider the needs of pupils with SEND or sixth-form students
- First-aid recording and reporting systems not fully established
- Post-16 provision is underdeveloped with no work experience or preparation for adulthood in place
- Leadership roles and responsibilities are unclear, and policies contain factual inaccuracies
- Reading curriculum lacks cohesion and does not effectively support pupils learning to read
Safeguarding
Safeguarding cannot be fully assessed as there are currently no pupils enrolled, but the school has not properly considered its full safeguarding duties including preventing pupils from leaving unnoticed, and a fire door leads to an unsafe area with busy main roads nearby.
Extracurricular Activities
Local library visits, collaboration with local artists, sports and outdoor learning through nearby recreational facilities, nature and conservation projects
Spark Vale Academy is a new independent special school registered in September 2024 that currently has no pupils enrolled but plans to admit students from September 2025. The school has been rated as Inadequate overall, with significant concerns about leadership, safeguarding, and curriculum provision.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
9%
Available places
4 pupils
45 capacity
41 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Leicester
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Leicester
Admissions Demand - Leicester
Places available
4,611
Applications
4,655
Got 1st preference
82.2%
Got preferred school
95.9%
Secondary admissions across Leicester (2025/26)
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Spark Vale Academy
Mellor Community Primary School
Saint Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy
Rushey Mead Primary School
Abbey Mead Primary Academy
Wyvern Primary School
Belgrave St Peter's CofE Primary School
Catherine Junior School
Catherine Infant School
Herrick Primary School
Wolsey House Primary School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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