Vista Academy Littleport, Ely

Inadequate
Secondary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 1116

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr James Mepham
Pupils:547 / 600 capacity
LA:Cambridgeshire
Phone:01353223300
Address:Camel Road, Ely, CB6 1EW
Trust:EASTERN LEARNING ALLIANCE
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2023

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 10 months ago
Inadequate

Overall

Requires Improvement

Quality of Education

Requires Improvement

Behaviour & Attitudes

Requires Improvement

Personal Development

Requires Improvement

Leadership & Management

Inspected 18 November 2025View full report
URN:150263
UKPRN:10093635
Constituency:Ely and East Cambridgeshire
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Vista Academy Littleport is a warm, welcoming school where pupils feel safe and supported. The school has built a broad, ambitious curriculum designed to help all pupils, including those with special educational needs, build secure knowledge over time. Staff work tenaciously to support every pupil's wellbeing and to raise aspirations through enrichment activities, work experience and clear guidance about future paths.

Key Strengths

  • Strong safeguarding culture where pupils feel safe and concerns are actively managed
  • Calm, positive learning environment with improved attendance close to national averages
  • Well-designed, broad and ambitious curriculum that is increasingly accessible to all pupils, including those with SEND
  • Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs
  • Extensive enrichment activities and pastoral care that boost pupil confidence and aspirations

Areas for Improvement

  • Published exam results and pupil progress remain well below national averages
  • Inconsistent checking of pupil understanding across all subjects to close knowledge gaps quickly
  • Pupils still have gaps in knowledge and struggle to articulate ideas orally and in writing
  • Some pupils do not fully engage with personal, social, health and economic education lessons
  • Literacy development across the curriculum needs to be more consistent

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Netball club, drama club, Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, drama productions, work experience, overseas trips

Vista Academy Littleport has made significant improvements since becoming a new academy in 2023, establishing a positive and ambitious culture with a carefully designed broad curriculum. However, published outcomes remain well below national averages, reflecting historic weaknesses in teaching quality that the school is actively working to address.

At a Glance

32.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

20.7

Avg class size

25

Total classes

7 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

91%

Near capacity

547 pupils

600 capacity

53 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Ely

Low pressure

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Ely

Admissions Demand - Cambridgeshire

Low demand0.95x oversubscription

Places available

7,188

Applications

6,820

Got 1st preference

88.2%

Got preferred school

96.3%

Secondary admissions across Cambridgeshire (2025/26)

Inspection History

18 November 2025
InadequateReport
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentRequires Improvement
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement

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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.

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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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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

8.85531%

Overall absence

26.38889%

Persistent absence

576

Enrolments

Authorised6.64785%
Unauthorised2.20746%
Persistent (10%+)26.38889%
Severe (50%+)6.25%

Absence trend

10.04273%
23/24
8.85531%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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