Lift Sir Herbert Leon
86%
Capacity
647
Pupils
1.3x
Demand
About Lift Sir Herbert Leon
Just 40% of parents who responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey would recommend Lift Sir Herbert Leon, a figure that sits alongside a clear oversubscription picture. For 2025/26 entry, the school received 118 applications for 88 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.34, and 59 of those offers went to first-preference families. The 15 survey responses paint a mixed picture: 67% of parents agreed there is a good range of subjects, and 73% felt their child could take part in clubs and activities. However, only 47% agreed their child is happy at the school, and just 27% felt the school makes sure pupils are well behaved. On the positive side, 73% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that their child does well at the school. The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection in October 2024 judged it Good across all areas, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management, a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2022.
Academically, the school’s Progress 8 score of -1.02 is well below average, ranking it 12th out of 12 secondary schools in Milton Keynes and in the bottom 50% nationally. This is notably lower than the local authority average Progress 8 of -0.21. The Attainment 8 score sits at 36.3, and just 37.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is low at 7.4%, and only 3.3% of pupils entered the full EBacc. In the 2023/24 results, the school’s Progress 8 banding was classified as well below average, with the strongest subject area being English at -0.58 and the weakest being open subjects at -1.52. The school has no sixth form, so pupils leave at 16. With 50.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged community, which provides important context for its academic outcomes.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, astro turf, and music rooms, plus clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Debate, and Coding. SEND provision covers seven areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. The school is oversubscribed, so families should be aware that a first-preference application is not a guarantee of a place. Given its strong improvement trajectory from Inadequate to Good in just over two years, and its clear focus on personal development and behaviour, this school may suit families who value a supportive, improving environment and are comfortable with a school that serves a high-needs community. The parent view data suggests that while many families see good subject choice and extracurricular access, concerns around behaviour and communication remain live issues for a significant minority.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Fern Grove, Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes, MK2 3HQ |
| Headteacher | Damian McGeehin |
| Local Authority | Milton Keynes |
| Number of Pupils | 647 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 50.1% |
| School Capacity | 647 / 750 (86% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Oct 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 19 Nov 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-1.02)
3034th of 3,141
Nationally
449th of 461
In South East
12th of 12
In Milton Keynes
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2317%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 89 pupils).
- FE college52%
- Not sustained24%
- School sixth form (stay)17%
- Employment3%
- Apprenticeship1%
74% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Ofsted Parent View
15 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed88
118
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
59 families put this school as their 1st choice (50% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:15
Breakfast club
08:10-08:30
After-school care
15:15-16:15
Source: liftsirherbertleon.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British46.1%
- Asian15.3%
- Mixed11.3%
- White (other)6.0%
- Black1.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
6
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
5
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Lift Sir Herbert Leon
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Fern Grove, Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes, MK2 3HQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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