The Herewoode Academy, Leicester

From the headteacher's welcome: "At The Herewoode Academy, our mission is to provide a rounded and inspirational education for all our young people. We do this by embedding our CARE Values: Compassion; Aspire; Respect and Engage - the values we hold most dear."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, cricket, gymnastics, basketball, badminton, dance, drama and choir.

On phones, the school says: "The system utilises a simple, secure pouch that stores a phone."

Coming up: an open day on Monday 26 October 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Herewoode Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.1 in Leicester and 47 across England.

32% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 46% in Leicester and 47% in England.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 31.4, against 44.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Health Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 142 families put The Herewoode Academy as their first choice and 237 named it as one of their preferences, for 184 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Herewoode Academy are Brook Mead Academy (1 mile, Outstanding, Attainment 8 46.6); English Martyrs' Catholic School, A Voluntary Academy (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 55.4); Beaumont Leys School (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.3); and Castle Mead Academy (1.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 46.3).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than The Herewoode Academy.

The Herewoode Academy is one of 17 schools run by Nova Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47 in 2024/25.

Of the 174 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 73% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 48% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 8 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 0% went on to university or other higher education, 38% to apprenticeships and 25% into work.

53.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 26.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (55%), Black (12%) and Asian (10%).

In 2026, 177 pupils (18.1%) received SEN support and 17 (1.7%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Leicester Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Greencoat Road (adjacent), 190 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Herewoode Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

The primary schools closest to The Herewoode Academy are Forest Lodge Academy (0.2 miles), Parks Primary School (0.5 miles), The Hall School (0.6 miles) and Stokes Wood Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.