Rushey Mead Academy is a mainstream secondary school with an SEN unit in Leicester for children and young people aged 11 to 16. Its SEN unit has 20 places for speech, language and communication.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,804 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with an SEN unit
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- An SEN unit, 20 places, 6 pupils
- Pupils
- 1,804
- Headteacher
- Ms Victoria Barwell (Principal)
- Part of
- The Mead Educational Trust
- Council
- Leicester
- School reference (URN)
- 141916
Needs its base supports
1 need: speech and language
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Leicester (16)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision are usually for children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask about the base
See the school and its specialist base, and ask how children split their time between the base and mainstream classes.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Leicester council) that you want this school and its base, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school, so ask how they decide.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Report card, May 2026: Exceptional in every area
Inspected in May 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExceptional
- Curriculum and teachingExceptional
- AchievementExceptional
- Attendance and behaviourExceptional
- Personal development and wellbeingExceptional
- Leadership and governanceExceptional
- SafeguardingMet
Contact and getting there
Melton Road, Leicester, LE4 7AN
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Spark Vale Academy Independent · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Inadequate 0.2 miles
- Rushey Mead Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.3 miles
- Catherine Infant School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–7 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.9 miles
By need in Leicester: Autism (18) · Speech and language (17) · SEMH (5) · Severe learning (5) · Moderate learning (4) · PMLD (2) · Physical (2)
Questions about Rushey Mead Academy
How do I get a place in Rushey Mead Academy’s specialist base?
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult the school about its base. If the school is named in the plan it must admit your child; places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school.
What needs does Rushey Mead Academy support?
Speech, language and communication. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Rushey Mead Academy take?
Aged 11 to 16, boys and girls.
What is Rushey Mead Academy’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in May 2026 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Rushey Mead Academy?
Melton Road, Leicester, LE4 7AN, in Leicester.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, 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.