Forest Lodge Academy

About Forest Lodge Academy

Forest Lodge Academy, a large state primary in Leicester, has been rated Good by Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The school’s academic story is best told through its Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 year, where 64% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That figure sits just above the Leicester local authority average of 62%, placing Forest Lodge 34th out of 68 primary schools in the area — squarely in the middle of the pack. Digging deeper, the school’s strongest individual subject is maths, where 82% of pupils reached the expected standard and 26% achieved a higher score, with an average scaled score of 106. Reading matches that average score of 106 and the same 82% expected standard rate, though only 30% hit the higher threshold. Writing lags a little, with 67% at expected and just 8% at the higher level, suggesting a clear area for development.

The Ofsted inspection in 2022 judged both leadership and management and early years provision as Good, and the school has since been confirmed as remaining Good in an ungraded visit. Nationally, Forest Lodge sits around the 46th percentile for its combined expected standard score, and in the East Midlands it ranks 571st out of 1,353 primary schools — a solidly average performance. The school’s Progress 8 scores for reading, writing and maths are not available in the data, so it’s hard to say how much value the school adds on top of starting points. What is clear is that the school serves a significantly disadvantaged population: 45.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, making its broadly average outcomes a reasonable achievement in context. The school’s capacity is 630, and with 576 pupils on roll, it is not quite full.

Forest Lodge offers a nursery provision for children from age three, and the main school runs from reception through to Year 6. The site includes playing fields, art studios, music rooms, a sensory room and a chapel, and pupils can choose from sports including gymnastics, football, cricket, dance, tennis, netball and cross country. Clubs on offer include film, book and eco clubs. The school has a wide range of SEND provisions, covering moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed: 44 first-preference applications were made for 44 places, but total applications reached 65, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.48. This suggests strong local demand, and families considering Forest Lodge should be prepared to apply as a first preference to maximise their chances.

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