The Robert Smyth Academy

About The Robert Smyth Academy

The Robert Smyth Academy stands out sharply against the Leicestershire local authority average for secondary schools. While the LA average Progress 8 score sits at -0.1, this school achieves a significantly higher 0.37, placing it well above the typical progress made by pupils across the county. This positive score means students here, on average, make more academic progress between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 than their peers in similar schools locally. The school ranks 9th out of 46 secondary schools in Leicestershire, and within its own borough of Harborough it sits 2nd out of 5 schools. Its Progress 8 banding is officially rated as 'Above average', a clear indicator that the school is delivering stronger academic outcomes than most in the region. This performance is consistent across subjects: English progress scores 0.38, maths 0.29, and the EBacc measure is particularly strong at 0.52.

At GCSE level, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 52.7, and 80% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, with 60.6% reaching the higher grade 5 threshold. The EBacc average points score sits at 5.03, and a high 85.9% of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. In the sixth form, the picture is more mixed. The school’s A-level value added score is -0.12, which is rated as 'Below average', and the average points per entry is 32.39, equivalent to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels average out at a C+ grade as well. Only 6.1% of sixth form students achieved grades AAB or higher. This suggests that while the school excels at moving pupils forward at GCSE, the sixth form provision, though rated Good by Ofsted, does not add the same level of value compared to other schools nationally.

The school is heavily oversubscribed, with 518 applications for 204 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, and 217 first-preference applications for those 204 spots, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.54. Facilities are extensive, including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, gymnasium, science labs, art studios, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The school offers a wide range of sports from rowing to gymnastics, and clubs include Coding, DofE, Drama, Eco Club, and a Newspaper club. Its SEND provisions are comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, with a resourced provision on site. This is a school that suits families looking for strong GCSE progress in a well-equipped, popular secondary with a good Ofsted rating, though those prioritising top-end A-level value added may want to examine sixth form outcomes more closely.

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