Vista Academy Littleport

About Vista Academy Littleport

Vista Academy Littleport is a mixed secondary school in East Cambridgeshire for pupils aged 11 to 16, currently operating below its capacity with 532 pupils against a 600-place school. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 27.8%, which is notably higher than the national average and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. Despite having available spaces, the school was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 116 applications for 81 places, with 74 of those coming as first preferences. This gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.43, indicating that while the school is not full, demand from local families remains strong relative to the number of places on offer. The school is part of the state-funded sector and has no religious character or sixth form provision, meaning pupils typically move on elsewhere after Year 11.

Academically, the school's most recent data paints a challenging picture. Its Progress 8 score is -0.51, which is well below average nationally and significantly behind the local authority average of 0.17. The Attainment 8 score is 39.7, and just 31.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared with 53.5% at grade 4 or above. The EBacc average point score is 3.68, with only 20.8% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. In the East of England region, the school ranks 302nd out of 350 schools, and nationally it sits in the bottom 50% of all schools for Progress 8. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2022 rated it Inadequate overall, with all key areas including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management judged as Inadequate, while personal development was rated Requires Improvement.

The school offers a range of facilities including a gymnasium, swimming pool, theatre, tennis courts, astro turf, and a chapel, alongside clubs such as Art Club, DofE, orchestra, and coding. Sports on offer include rowing, gymnastics, and dance. For pupils with additional needs, the school lists provisions for a wide spectrum of conditions including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With an Inadequate Ofsted rating and below-average Progress 8 scores, this is a school that families may choose for its local convenience or specialist SEND support, but they should be aware that academic outcomes and behaviour standards are areas of significant concern. The school's oversubscription suggests it remains a popular choice locally, but parents would be wise to investigate recent improvements and visit to see if the school's current reality matches their expectations.

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