Babington Academy Review 2026: Inclusive 11 to 16 education in Beaumont Leys

A large 11 to 16 secondary serving Beaumont Leys and wider Leicester, Babington Academy sits within the Learning without Limits Academy Trust and positions itself around high expectations, clear routines, and inclusion for a broad intake. The principal is Fiona Laywood.

The most recent graded inspection, dated 28 March 2023, judged the school Good overall, with Good grades across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

For parents comparing local options, the school’s GCSE profile is mixed. In FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking, Babington is ranked 3,683rd in England and 48th in Leicester, which places it below England average overall (within the 60th to 100th percentile band nationally). Its Progress 8 score of -0.8 indicates pupils make below-average progress from their starting points. These figures matter most for families weighing how much additional support their child may need to keep pace, particularly in the run-up to GCSEs.

Admissions are coordinated by Leicester City Council, with a published admission number of 240 for Year 7. For 2026 to 27 entry, the council application window opens on 01 September 2025 and closes on 31 October 2025, with offers issued on 02 March 2026.

The school’s public messaging leans into a straightforward promise, pupils are expected to take opportunities offered and commit to daily effort, with assemblies and routines used to reinforce shared language about ambition and resilience. The culture is framed as inclusive, with a strong emphasis on respect and belonging, and a clear expectation that pupils contribute positively to the wider community.

Daily life is structured. The published timetable shows a consistent rhythm, form time, five taught periods, and defined break and lunch windows, which tends to suit pupils who do best when the day is predictable. The school day runs from 08:30 to 15:00, and there is a free breakfast club from 08:00 to 08:25 for any student who wants it.

The inspection evidence supports a generally settled climate in lessons for most pupils. Most behave well, relationships between pupils and staff are positive, and movement around the site is typically calm. A key nuance is that a small number of pupils do not consistently meet behaviour expectations, and this can interrupt learning for others when it occurs. That detail matters for families with children who are easily distracted or who need a particularly quiet classroom climate to thrive.

Babington Academy is ranked 3,683rd in England and 48th in Leicester for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places it below England average overall (within the 60th to 100th percentile band nationally).

Headline GCSE indicators suggest that outcomes are an area where the school has work to do, particularly in ensuring that pupils across the ability range make consistently strong progress from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 33.9. Progress 8 is -0.8, which indicates that, on average, pupils achieve below the progress made by similar pupils nationally.

A practical way to use these figures is to treat them as a starting point for questions rather than an endpoint. Parents should look carefully at subject-level patterns and the support available for pupils who arrive behind in literacy, as well as how well the school maintains momentum for higher-attaining pupils. If you are comparing several Leicester secondaries, the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool can help you line up Progress 8, Attainment 8, and rankings side by side before you visit.

Curriculum intent is described as broad and carefully sequenced, with leaders setting out what pupils should know and in what order. That sequencing is important in schools serving mixed-ability cohorts because it reduces gaps and helps pupils build knowledge cumulatively rather than in disconnected blocks.

Reading is a clear operational priority, especially for pupils who arrive in Year 7 without strong fluency. The school runs targeted reading interventions and activities at Key Stage 3, aimed both at basic literacy and building sustained reading habits.

A second practical feature is language. The curriculum has increased time allocation to French and Spanish at Key Stage 3 as part of efforts to widen participation in the English Baccalaureate suite later on. This is relevant for families who value languages but also for pupils who may need careful scaffolding, as languages tend to reward regular practice and strong literacy foundations.

Areas for improvement are also clear. In some subjects, pupils are moved onto new content before understanding is secure, which can leave gaps that reappear at GCSE. For parents, the useful question is how departments check learning in lessons and how quickly they intervene when pupils are not secure, especially in Years 9 to 11.

With education ending at 16, progression planning after Year 11 matters. Careers guidance is described as well planned, with pupils given clear information about post-16 pathways and encouraged to think about how they can contribute positively in modern Britain.

Because the school does not have a sixth form, pupils will typically progress to sixth form colleges, school sixth forms elsewhere, technical routes, apprenticeships, or employment with training. Families should ask early how the school supports pupils to choose the right route, including guidance on entry requirements for competitive sixth forms, and how it supports pupils who want to pursue vocational and technical options. The presence of structured after-school revision support for Year 11, shown in the published “Power Hour” timetable, is a useful indicator that GCSE transition planning is treated as a whole-school process rather than left to individual departments.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated by Leicester City Council. The published admission number for Year 7 is 240.

For entry in autumn 2026 (the 2026 to 27 admissions cycle), the council’s published dates are:

• Applications open: 01 September 2025 (online)

• Closing date: 31 October 2025

• National Offer Day: 02 March 2026

Late application handling is also published. Applications received between 03 November 2025 and 27 February 2026 are considered after 16 March 2026; those received from 28 February 2026 are considered after 06 April 2026.

Oversubscription criteria are explicit. After pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, priority is given to looked after and previously looked after children, then pupils with exceptional medical or social needs, then siblings (with catchment and non-catchment distinctions), then catchment area children, then children of staff (in specified circumstances), and finally children living outside catchment. Distance is used as a tie-break within categories.

For parents trying to judge realistic chances, the most practical step is to use precise distance measurement from your home to the school, then compare that with prior years’ allocation patterns where available. FindMySchoolMap Search is designed for exactly this task, particularly where catchment and distance rules are decisive.

Pastoral care is described as a strength, with pupils reporting that they feel safe and that bullying is uncommon and addressed effectively when it arises.

Safeguarding arrangements are confirmed as effective, supported by a staff training culture and clear processes for acting quickly when concerns arise. For parents, this tends to translate into a more confident day-to-day experience for pupils, particularly those who are anxious, those with additional needs, and those who benefit from trusted adults.

A useful operational detail is that the school provides a free breakfast club each morning (08:00 to 08:25), offering simple food and a calm start to the day. For some pupils, especially those who struggle with punctuality or morning routines, this can be a meaningful support rather than a minor convenience.

Extracurricular provision is published in unusual detail, including named clubs, locations, and times. This matters because it signals intentional design rather than ad hoc enrichment. The offer spans sport, creative activities, academic support, and structured revision.

A few examples illustrate the breadth and the practical value:

• eSports and computing spaces: the timetable includes a Year 7 eSports Club and an invite-only Computer Club in the eSports Room. For students who are motivated by competitive gaming or computing, this can be a strong engagement lever, and it provides a supervised context to discuss online conduct and digital wellbeing.

• Academic extension and support: Science Surgery appears for both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 on different weeks, and there is an Axiom Maths club for Years 7 and 8. These are useful signals for parents of pupils who need extra consolidation or who enjoy academic stretch beyond lessons.

• Creativity and performance: GCSE Art Club, Performing Arts Club in the auditorium, and Arts and Crafts feature on the timetable. This provides regular rehearsal and making time, which tends to improve confidence for pupils who do best with practical, collaborative work.

• Identity and belonging clubs: the timetable includes ECO Club and a Pokémon Club, plus Kaleidoscope (listed at lunchtime on different key stages by week). These clubs can be disproportionately important for Year 7 and Year 8 pupils, because belonging often determines attendance, behaviour, and engagement long before GCSE choices are in view.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is offered at Bronze level in Year 10, structured around volunteering, physical, and skills commitments, followed by an expedition. For many students, this is a meaningful way to develop independence and practical competence, especially in a school that is explicit about building character and leadership opportunities.

The school day runs from 08:30 to 15:00. A free breakfast club operates from 08:00 to 08:25.

Transport links are clearly signposted. Bus routes 26, 54, 74 and 154 go by or very near the academy, and the site is accessible from Leicester’s local cycle network, with covered parking for 200 bikes.

• Outcomes and progress: Progress 8 is -0.8, indicating below-average progress from pupils’ starting points. Families may want to ask how the school targets support for pupils who arrive behind in literacy and how it stretches higher-attaining pupils through to GCSE.

• Consistency in classroom learning: In some subjects, pupils can be moved on before understanding is secure. This can create gaps that show up later, so it is worth asking how departments check learning in lessons and how quickly they provide catch-up.

• Behaviour for a small minority: Most pupils behave well, but a small number can disrupt learning at times. For pupils who are easily distracted or anxious, it is sensible to discuss how the school manages low-level disruption and supports self-regulation.

• No sixth form: Post-16 progression is an external move for every pupil. Families should plan early for travel, subject availability, and entry requirements for local sixth forms and colleges.

Babington Academy offers a structured 11 to 16 experience with clear routines, a detailed extracurricular timetable, and a strong emphasis on inclusion and belonging. It suits families who want a large, comprehensive local secondary with published enrichment options that span sport, creative arts, and academic support, and who are comfortable actively engaging with the school around progress and GCSE preparation. The key decision point is whether the current outcomes profile aligns with your child’s needs, particularly if they require consistently high academic pace or particularly quiet classrooms.