Thomas Estley Community College
99%
Capacity
891
Pupils
2.5x
Demand
About Thomas Estley Community College
Thomas Estley Community College holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent inspections, including the most recent graded inspection in October 2024. The school serves 891 pupils aged 11 to 16 in Harborough, Leicestershire, and its academic story is best told through its Progress 8 score. The school achieved a Progress 8 score of -0.05, which is classed as Average by the Department for Education. This means that, on average, pupils at Thomas Estley achieve broadly in line with what is expected nationally given their starting points. The score is slightly above the Leicestershire local authority average of -0.1, placing the school 20th out of 46 similar schools in the county. Within the Harborough district specifically, Thomas Estley ranks 4th out of 5 schools on this measure, placing it in the 80th percentile locally.
Looking more closely at the 2023/24 exam results, the school's Attainment 8 score sits at 43, and 61.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The school has a strong focus on the English Baccalaureate, with 62.3% of pupils entering the EBacc suite of subjects, though only 31.1% achieved a grade 4 or above across those subjects. The Progress 8 breakdown reveals some variation by subject: pupils made positive progress in maths, with a score of +0.26, but progress in English was slightly below average at -0.22. The school's overall Progress 8 banding is Average, and it ranks 1,644th nationally out of 3,141 schools, placing it just above the national median. The Ofsted report from October 2024 rated all key areas as Good, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
The school is oversubscribed, receiving 409 applications for 166 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, a ratio of 2.46 applicants per place. It offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, and a chapel, alongside clubs such as debate, eco club, and science club. The school has a dedicated SEN unit and supports pupils with a broad range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Parent View responses, based on 73 respondents, show 60% would recommend the school. Parents were most positive about the range of subjects available, with 93% agreeing there is a good range, and 89% agreeing their child can take part in clubs and activities. This school suits families who value a well-established local secondary with consistent Ofsted ratings and a broad curriculum offer, particularly those interested in the EBacc pathway.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Station Road, Leicester, Harborough, LE9 6PT |
| Headteacher | Mandi Collins |
| Local Authority | Leicestershire |
| Number of Pupils | 891 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 16.3% |
| School Capacity | 891 / 900 (99% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
29 Oct 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 28 Nov 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.05)
1644th of 3,141
Nationally
135th of 273
In East Midlands
4th of 5
In Harborough
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
2022/2324%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 172 pupils).
- FE college40%
- School sixth form (stay)24%
- Sixth form college22%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained1%
98% 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
73 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed166
409
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
154 families put this school as their 1st choice (38% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British91.1%
- Mixed4.0%
- White (other)1.5%
- Asian1.4%
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.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
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 Thomas Estley Community College
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
Station Road, Leicester
Harborough, LE9 6PT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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