Castle Mead Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Leicester for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 192 of its 1,223 pupils (15.7%) were getting SEN support and 38 (3.1%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,223 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Leicester.
15.7% get SEN support
192 of 1,223 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.1% have an EHC plan
38 of 1,223 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health81
- Moderate learning difficulty38
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia32
- Autism24
- Speech, language and communication21
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
- Free school
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,223 (places for 1,200)
- Headteacher
- Miss Chloe French
- Part of
- The Mead Educational Trust
- Free school meals
- 47.8% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Leicester
- School reference (URN)
- 147068
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 Leicester 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 Outstanding, October 2023
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in October 2023.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Richard III Road, Leicester, LE3 5QT
Loading the map…
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
- King Richard III Infant and Nursery School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–7 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 0.3 miles
- Indie Education Independent · Ages 14–19 0.6 miles
- Inglehurst Junior School Mainstream + base · Ages 7–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
- The Children's Hospital School Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.8 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Shaftesbury Junior School Primary · Ages 7–11 · SEN support 12.6%, EHC plans 0.8% 0.4 miles
- Slater Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 15.9%, EHC plans 0% 0.5 miles
- Fosse Mead Primary Academy Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 14.5%, EHC plans 2.5% 0.5 miles
All mainstream schools in Leicester SEND schools in Leicester
Questions about Castle Mead Academy
How many pupils at Castle Mead Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 192 of the 1,223 pupils (15.7%) were getting SEN support and 38 (3.1%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Castle Mead Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (81 pupils), moderate learning difficulties (38 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (32 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Castle Mead Academy?
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 Castle Mead Academy?
Through Leicester 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 Castle Mead Academy?
You can ask for Castle Mead Academy 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 Castle Mead Academy 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 King Richard III Infant and Nursery School, about 0.3 miles away.
Where is Castle Mead Academy?
Richard III Road, Leicester, LE3 5QT, in Leicester.
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.