The Martin Bacon Academy

Special free school · All-through, ages 3 to 19 · Mixed · Sixth form

Part of MERIDIAN TRUST

Stirling Road, Northstowe, CB24 1DH

01223 340800 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedNo overall gradeInspected 22 October 2024
Grade 5 or above in English and maths0%England 45% · 2024/25
Pupils152Room for 178 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 80 in 2021, 113 in 2022, 123 in 2023, 127 in 2024, 136 in 2025, 152 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 26% from 2021 to 2025.
Free school meals46%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

At the inspection that started on 22 October 2024, Ofsted graded each area separately. It stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationOutstanding
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

35 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 83% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 77% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 71% 84%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 15 parents whose child had been bullied 47% 51%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 27 parents who had raised a concern 70% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 35 parents of children with SEND 71% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent 74%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 26%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

We'll ask you to confirm. One email per change, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy.

Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

8 pupils in this year group.

Only 8 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

0% — 59 points below the Cambridgeshire average, and 62 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolCambridgeshireEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 59% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 7% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 0% 75% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 0% 68% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 0% 72% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 106 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 105 105

"Not published": No figure published.

Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 0%This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 62% 2022/23 0% 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

15 pupils in this year group.

0% — 50 points below the Cambridgeshire average, and 45 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolCambridgeshireEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 0% 50% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 0.9 48.1 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 0.1 4.4 4.1

Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time

2022/232023/242024/25
Not publishedNot published0%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Cambridgeshire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Cambridgeshire

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia); Visual impairment; Other difficulties or disabilities; Hearing impairment; Speech, language and communication needs; Autism; Multi-sensory impairment; Physical disability; Moderate learning difficulties; Severe learning difficulties; Profound and multiple learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolCambridgeshireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 43.6% 50.8%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 100.0%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.0%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 15.4% 9.4%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 8.6% 12.8%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 26.3% 34.2%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 2.9 18.0 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 1.5% 7.4% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.16% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 7.4 6.7 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 3.5 2.2 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 1.2% 13.0%* 14.3%*

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby special schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is The Martin Bacon Academy's Ofsted rating?

At its inspection in 22 October 2024, Ofsted graded each area separately; it stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.

How did The Martin Bacon Academy do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 0% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 45 points below the England average of 45%.

Would parents recommend The Martin Bacon Academy?

74% of the 35 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend The Martin Bacon Academy to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.