Millfield L.E.A.D. Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Millfield L.E.A.D. Academy Hat Road, Braunstone Town, Leicester LE3 2WF

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of the school is Peter Wood. The school is part of L.E.A.D. Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Diana Owen, and overseen by the board of trustees, chaired by Andy Buck.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and thrive at this school. The overwhelming majority of parents and carers praise the school highly. One parent’s comment, which was typical of so many, was, ‘Millfield is a fantastic school, where children are put first.’ Children in the early years get off to a flying start. They are eager to learn and concentrate for sustained periods of time. Children learn to count in a range of exciting ways, including when they play hopscotch.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behave very well. The school emphasises for pupils to treat each other with respect, regardless of people’s backgrounds. Pupils are highly respectful towards each other and to adults. Pupils enjoy taking on positions of responsibility, such as a being a sports leader or a ‘well-being warrior’. Pupils feel safe in school and know their ‘trusted adults’, who they can approach if they have a worry.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum has been well designed to help pupils learn and recall a deep knowledge of subjects. For example, in science, pupils in Year 1 learn how to identify mammals and amphibians. In Year 6, pupils plan a fair test independently. Pupils rise to the high expectations set for them. They attain highly in reading, writing and mathematics. 11 and 12 March 2025

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s curriculum from the early years to Year 6 is ambitious. Staff are highly skilled at promoting pupils’ language and communication skills. The school’s focus on developing pupils’ vocabulary is particularly effective. Throughout the school, pupils use increasingly more complex terms accurately. For example, in the Nursery, children describe trucks accurately with words like ‘front loader’, while pupils in Year 1 know the difference between ‘dynamics’ and ‘pitch’ when they describe a piece of music. This focus on language makes a real difference to pupils’ written work. In Year 6, pupils use words accurately, such as ‘spontaneous’, ‘barricaded’ and ‘ricochet’.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils learn to read very well. Staff are experts at teaching phonics. Children in the early years learn to read sounds accurately. Pupils’ reading books are well matched to the sounds they know. Pupils’ progress through the phonics programme is checked closely. Extra support is provided in a timely manner for those pupils at risk of falling behind. Staff support pupils to develop their reading fluency very well. As a result, pupils are confident and fluent readers.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from effective support to access the school’s ambitious and exciting curriculum. The school is proactive and identifies the SEND needs of pupils early. Staff skilfully make adaptations to the curriculum to allow pupils with SEND to achieve well. The school ensures that pupils with SEND represent the school in tournaments against other local schools, including, for example, playing curling or boccia. Parents praise the support their children with SEND receive.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Children in the early years learn mathematical concepts very well. The curriculum allows pupils to build their knowledge securely over time. Teaching deliberately offers pupils the chance to revisit and recap prior learning. In Reception, children explain why numbers are odd or even. Further up the school, pupils use their knowledge of number to calculate parts of a number as fractions. By Year 6, pupils apply their knowledge effectively to a range of complex problems and ideas across the curriculum.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is particularly effective. Pupils apply for leadership roles, such as e-safety champions. They explain to others how to stay safe online. The school council organises events such as the pyjama day when they raise funds for a local charity. Leaders regularly update the curriculum to help keep pupils safe. Older pupils know of the links between gangs and criminal activity, as well as the dangers of knife crime. Healthy living is prioritised by the school. The school participates in a range of sports events against other schools. Pupils enjoy using the new kitchen classroom to prepare and cook healthy meals independently. Pupils visit a range of places of worship and are knowledgeable about the world’s main religions. Relationships are excellent in school. Pupils say that bullying is rare. Pupils’ rates of attendance are high.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders at all levels, together with local governors and the trust, work together effectively to continually develop all aspects of the school’s work. The school prioritises staff well- being and is mindful of staff workload when decisions are taken. Staff morale is high. 11 and 12 March 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2014.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, 11 and 12 March 2025

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looked-after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of L.E.A.D. Academy Trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school manages a breakfast club and an after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher, two assistant headteachers and the special educational needs coordinator. He also spoke with the deputy chief education officer of the trust, the trust school director and the chair of the academy governing body. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. He listened to pupils read.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that put pupils’ interest first.

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Inspection team

Martin Finch, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 March 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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