Shenton Primary School Review 2026: A high-attaining Leicester primary with a strong inclusion offer

More than 20 languages spoken, a steady intake of families new to the UK, and a clear emphasis on helping children settle quickly shape daily life here. The school describes itself as multicultural, multi-faith and multilingual, with children joining and leaving at different points across the year, so routines and communication with families matter as much as curriculum plans.

Academically, the headline is Key Stage 2 performance. In 2024, 90% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. The higher standard figure is also striking at 35.33%, versus an England average of 8%. Those numbers suggest a school that is converting strong teaching into outcomes, even with the additional complexity that comes with mobility and language acquisition. (FindMySchool uses proprietary rankings based on official data; on that measure, the school is ranked 616th in England and 6th in Leicester for primary outcomes.)

Pastoral and inclusion are not bolt-ons. Alongside mainstream provision, the school runs a Designated Specialist Provision (DSP), Atlantis Class, with a paired sensory space called Utopia, aimed at children whose Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) identifies communication and interaction needs, including autism.

This is a school that talks openly about the realities of modern urban primary education. Families arrive from different countries, children may enter mid-year, and home languages can change from cohort to cohort. The stated aim is to help every child become a happy, confident learner, with the school positioning itself as a place where belonging and progress start from day one.

Leadership stability is a notable feature. Ms Gita Patel is the current headteacher, and external profile material describes her as having led the school for over 15 years. That matters in a setting where consistency of expectations and long-term relationships with the local community can make a measurable difference.

The ethos is deliberately inclusive. The school sets out practical commitments such as celebrating pupils’ achievements, building self-confidence, and promoting respect for cultural diversity. It also explicitly links its work to British values, including school council participation and pupil voice, which can be especially important for children building confidence in a new language or new country.

A distinctive element is the DSP model. Rather than separating SEND provision from the wider school, Atlantis Class is described as being located within the main school so children can integrate into mainstream lessons and activities when ready. That design choice typically signals an inclusion culture where mainstream staff and specialist staff work closely, rather than operating as parallel systems.

The performance picture is clear and data-rich.

In 2024, 90% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 35.33% reached greater depth across reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading and maths scaled scores were both 109, while grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) averaged 111, with a combined total of 329 across reading, maths and GPS.

These results align with the school’s strong positioning within Leicester and beyond. Ranked 616th in England and 6th in Leicester for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it sits well above England average, placing it within the top 10% of primary schools in England on this measure.

For families comparing options locally, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool can help you view these outcomes alongside other Leicester primaries, using the same methodology across schools.

A practical implication for parents is that the school appears to deliver both breadth and stretch. High attainment at the expected standard is one thing; a high higher-standard figure suggests plenty of pupils are being moved beyond the basics. For children who enjoy challenge, that can feel motivating. For children who need a steadier pace, it reinforces the importance of asking how the school adapts teaching and targets support, particularly in the run up to Year 6 assessment.

The school frames its curriculum around an “exciting and broad” offer, with an emphasis on memorable experiences and enjoyment. That is a common ambition, but the more distinctive evidence is in the way provision is explained for children who need tailored pathways.

SEND is presented as everybody’s responsibility, with a clear statement that every teacher is a teacher of every child, including pupils with SEND. The SEND offer highlights communication and collaborative working with parents, and points families towards a structured information report and provision mapping.

The Atlantis DSP content is unusually detailed for a mainstream primary website. The school describes structured routines, personalised timetables linked to EHCP outcomes and the Autism Education Trust Progression Framework, and specific approaches such as TEACCH-style structured learning and task plans. It also lists communication systems that may be used, including PECS, Makaton, signs and symbols, visual timetables, and Colourful Semantics.

For parents, the implication is reassuring clarity. If your child has an EHCP and needs communication and interaction support, you are not being asked to “trust the vibe”. The school sets out what the environment looks like, how children move between specialist and mainstream settings, and how targets are reviewed with parents.

For a state primary, “next steps” is mostly about transition to secondary and how well families are guided through the process.

The school states that Year 6 families are supported with secondary transfer applications, including help completing forms, with translation support available through a visiting local authority colleague. Applications are described as being completed online, with an October deadline highlighted for secondary transfer, and the school notes that Year 6 pupils typically attend induction activity in the summer term, including a whole-cohort induction day in early July.

For pupils in the Atlantis DSP, the website lays out multiple pathways depending on progress and readiness. These include increasing time in mainstream, continuing DSP support in an appropriate secondary setting, or transfer to a special school if mainstream links are not enabling progress.

A useful question for parents is how early transition planning starts for pupils with EHCPs, and which local secondaries are commonly used for different profiles of need. That detail is not set out publicly, so it is worth asking directly during a visit or review meeting.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. The main practical issue is securing a place.

Reception to Year 6 admissions are aligned to Leicester City Council arrangements, with the local authority coordinating applications. Demand looks real rather than theoretical: for the most recent recorded primary entry data, the school was oversubscribed, with 51 applications for 28 offers, a subscription proportion of 1.82 applications per place.

For families considering Reception entry in 2026 to 2027, Leicester City Council’s published key dates state that online applications open on 01 September 2025, the closing date is 15 January 2026, and national offer day is 16 April 2026.

Nursery admissions are simpler. The school states that children are eligible for a fully funded 15-hour nursery place once they are 3, and that a nursery admissions form can be completed once a child turns 2, with admission possible from the term after the third birthday. Nursery sessions are stated as 8.40am to 11.40am, Monday to Friday.

Atlantis DSP places sit outside standard admissions. The school states that DSP allocation is decided via the local authority consultation process, that places are for up to 10 children from Year 1 to Year 6 with an EHCP specifying communication and interaction needs including autism, and that attending the mainstream school does not give priority for DSP placement.

If you are trying to assess your chances for a mainstream place, FindMySchool’s Map Search is a practical tool, especially when you are balancing multiple Leicester options and need to compare travel time and likely allocation dynamics year to year.

The school’s ethos pages and SEND documentation point repeatedly to safety, belonging, and partnership with families. Key messages include valuing every child, building friendships, and maintaining clear communication with parents.

On the operational side, attendance expectations are set out bluntly. The school sets a 95% attendance target and outlines that requests for term-time absence are evaluated carefully, with reference to the impact on a child’s overall attendance. It also flags penalty notice levels that can apply for unauthorised absence. Families who anticipate extended travel should read the policy closely and plan early conversations with the school.

For SEND and inclusion, the pastoral picture is unusually concrete. The SEND offer identifies the SEND Co-ordinator as Ms Priti Gohil, and the DSP staffing list names an Inclusion and DSP Manager alongside DSP teachers and teaching assistants. The implication for parents is that there is a defined route to discuss concerns, rather than an informal, dependent-on-the-right-person system.

Extracurricular life is described in practical, accessible terms rather than as a marketing feature.

Breakfast club runs 8.00am to 8.30am, with a stated cost of £0.30 per day, and free access for pupils entitled to free school meals through pupil premium. After school, sports clubs run 3.10pm to 4.10pm and are offered to Years 2 to 6, with places allocated termly and a note that fees are waived for families entitled to free school meals.

The most distinctive enrichment is the annual Shenton Awards programme, which is explicitly built around Howard Gardner’s eight areas of intelligence and includes awards such as Sports, Linguistics, Mathematics, Art, Design and Technology, Music, Emotional Intelligence, Personal Achievement, and Environmental. The school also publishes named award winners for recent years, which signals that recognition is woven into school culture rather than left to the end of Year 6.

For pupils in the Atlantis DSP, enrichment is embedded into the environment itself. The DSP spaces are described as including a low-distraction classroom and a calming sensory room with specialist sensory equipment, designed to support regulation as well as learning.

The school day finish time is clearly stated as 3.10pm. Breakfast club runs from 8.00am to 8.30am, with classes starting at 8.40am noted in the clubs information, which gives families a workable morning routine. Nursery sessions run 8.40am to 11.40am, Monday to Friday.

For term planning, the school publishes term dates for the 2025 to 2026 academic year, including closures and half-term breaks, which is useful for childcare logistics.

Travel guidance is limited in public information beyond the statement that the school is close to Leicester city centre at the northern end of Highfields. Families should check their own route and timing at drop-off and pick-up, especially if relying on public transport.

• Oversubscription is real. With 51 applications for 28 offers in the latest recorded primary entry route, competition can be meaningful even before you factor in preference patterns. Make sure you have realistic back-up preferences.

• Attendance expectations are strict. The school sets a 95% attendance target and highlights financial penalties that can apply for unauthorised absence, which may matter for families who travel frequently.

• The Atlantis DSP has clear boundaries. Places are limited, require an EHCP, and are decided via local authority consultation, not by enrolling in the mainstream school. The DSP is also explicit that it is not designed for highly complex sensory, behavioural, physical, or medical needs.

• Wraparound beyond breakfast and sports is not fully described publicly. Breakfast club and after-school sports are set out clearly, but parents needing daily after-school childcare beyond 4.10pm will likely need to ask directly what is currently available.

High Key Stage 2 outcomes and a well-developed inclusion offer make this a serious option for families who want both academic stretch and structured support pathways. The school’s clarity around multilingual context, parent partnership, and SEND systems suggests thoughtful leadership rather than reactive fixes. Best suited to families who value strong attainment, clear routines, and an inclusion model that combines mainstream and specialist provision, and who are prepared to manage a competitive admissions process.