The Meadows School

Special academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 19 · Mixed · Sixth form

Part of MANOR HALL ACADEMY TRUST

Springfield Road, Leek, ST13 6EU

01538 225060 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 24 September 2019; confirmed 2025
Pupils129Room for 120 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 113 in 2019, 124 in 2021, 126 in 2022, 127 in 2023, 130 in 2024, 129 in 2025, 129 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals43%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 24 September 2019.

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 educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Sixth formGood
SafeguardingEffective

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 19 March 2025: Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

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

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 82% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 82% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 88% 84%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 14 parents who had raised a concern 79% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 17 parents of children with SEND 82% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent 88%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 13%). 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.

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Results

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

9 pupils in this year group.

Only 9 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

100% — 8 points above the Staffordshire average, and 8 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolStaffordshireEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 100% 92% 92%
School sixth form 0% 33% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 3% 13%
Further education college 0% 46% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 5% 3%
Work 0% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
90%100%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. 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 Staffordshire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Staffordshire

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: Moderate learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolStaffordshireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 44.6% 45.3%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 99.9%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.1%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 5.4% 6.8%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 8.6% 10.4%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 21.3% 29.6%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.0 3.3 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 0.0% 2.1% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.10% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 8.8 7.8 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 2.6 2.5 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 14.4% 11.5%* 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 Meadows School's Ofsted rating?

The Meadows School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 24 September 2019. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 19 March 2025, Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

Would parents recommend The Meadows School?

88% of the 17 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend The Meadows School 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.