John Ferneley College is a mainstream secondary school in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 140 of its 1,170 pupils (12%) were getting SEN support and 33 (2.8%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,170 pupils
- Ofsted: Requires improvement
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Leicestershire.
12% get SEN support
140 of 1,170 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
2.8% have an EHC plan
33 of 1,170 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia54
- Moderate learning difficulty48
- Social, emotional and mental health31
- Autism19
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,170 (places for 1,100)
- Headteacher
- Mr Terry Claridge
- Part of
- Mowbray Education Trust Limited
- Free school meals
- 19.2% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Leicestershire
- School reference (URN)
- 137617
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Leicestershire council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Requires improvement, April 2024
Rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in April 2024.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Scalford Road, Melton Mowbray, LE13 1LH
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Include-Welby Grange Independent · Ages 11–16 1.3 miles
- Birch Wood (Melton Area Special School) Special school · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted: Good 1.9 miles
- Sherard Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.9 miles
- Captains Close Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 3.1 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St Mary's Church of England Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 16.2%, EHC plans 4.5% 0.5 miles
- Brownlow Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 13.3%, EHC plans 3.1% 1.1 miles
- The Grove Primary School Primary · Ages 5–11 · SEN support 19.3%, EHC plans 5.3% 1.1 miles
All mainstream schools in Leicestershire SEND schools in Leicestershire
Questions about John Ferneley College
How many pupils at John Ferneley College have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 140 of the 1,170 pupils (12%) were getting SEN support and 33 (2.8%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at John Ferneley College?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (54 pupils), moderate learning difficulties (48 pupils) and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (31 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at John Ferneley College?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at John Ferneley College?
Through Leicestershire council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to John Ferneley College?
You can ask for John Ferneley College to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does John Ferneley College have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Sherard Primary School, about 1.9 miles away.
Where is John Ferneley College?
Scalford Road, Melton Mowbray, LE13 1LH, in Leicestershire.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.