In the second part of our guide to local schools, we’re giving an overview of the local primary schools. At INICIO, we tutor students from all over Leicestershire, including the following list of schools.
To view our guide to local Leicestershire secondary schools, please click here.
Church Langton
Situated in the village of Church Langton, just outside of Market Harborough, Church Langton C of E (Aided) Primary School caters for students living in The Langtons, Market Harborough and surrounding villages. The school is linked with St Peter’s Church, and as an Aided School, Church Langton is part of the Diocese of Leicester. Church Langton feeds into Robert Smyth Academy.
As of 2013, Church Langton Primary School was deemed to be a ‘good’ school by Ofsted. Facilities include ICT equipment for all classes, an art room encouraging creativity and a well-stocked library, topped off by plenty of outside space. Students are divided into Houses at Church Langton and they regularly participate in house competitions, activities and assemblies, encouraging teamwork and leadership.
Parents of Church Langton students formed the ‘Friends of Church Langton’ group, which helps to organise events and activities in the community to support the school. As well as encouraging community spirit, this has helped to fund theatre visits, school trips and playtime equipment Church Langton students.
Clipston
Clipston Endowed VC Primary School is a Church school that belongs to the Diocese of Peterborough and has a history of over 340 years. Clipston primarily serves students from surrounding villages including Clipston, East Farndon, Great Oxendon, Hothorpe, Kelmarsh, Marston Trussell, Thorpe Lubenham and Arthingworth, but also admits students from outside this area. The school has 20 places available in Reception each year, and feeds into Guilsborough School.
Following an Ofsted inspection in 2012, Clipston was deemed to be a good school, and has also achieved a variety of awards including National Healthy Schools status, bronze level Eco School and Get Set Network awards. To view Assessment Results for Clipston in 2015, please see here.
Clipston runs a great variety of clubs for its students to attend, including the impressive and unique Ukulele Group and KS2 Coding Club.
Great Bowden
Great Bowden Academy is a Church of England primary school based in the village of Great Bowden, just outside of Market Harborough. Great Bowden recently extended their premises, allowing them to increase their intake to 20 pupils per year group. Great Bowden feeds into Welland Park Academy and Robert Smyth Academy.
Great Bowden was inspected by Ofsted in 2014 and judged to be an outstanding school, meaning that students make rapid progress through KS1 and KS2. For the school year 2014-2015, 100% of pupils achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing and maths at the KS2 SAT’s, compared to 80% both locally (Leicestershire) and nationally.
The Great Bowden PTA (Parent & Teachers Association) engages in various fundraising activities for the school, which in the past have helped contribute towards IT equipment, outdoor play equipment and improve the woodland area, facilitating Forest Schools’ activities for the pupils of Great Bowden.
Leicester Grammar School
Leicester Grammar is a fee-paying junior school located in Great Glen, Leicester which boasts a large campus comprising of 75 acres of playing fields, various sports pitches and courts and extensive science laboratories. Leicester Grammar School admits approximately 40 pupils into Reception classes and entry is by selective assessment at the age of 4.
A large proportion of pupils at the Junior School continue into the Senior School, making up approximately 60% of the Senior School class. French is taught from Reception all the way through the junior school, encouraging language skills, and this learning is consolidated by a Year 6 trip to France to give students an opportunity to use the skills they have developed. Students are also introduced to Classics in Year 6. There is a large selection of afterschool and lunchtime clubs, including Rookie Lifeguarding, Ballet and Eco Club.
The Junior School has its own Head Boy and Head Girl, as well as a Junior School Council which consists of elected representatives from Year 3 to Year 6, encouraging leadership and responsibility. A number of parents and teachers are involved with L.G.J.S Friends, a group that takes part in fundraising opportunities and social events to help the school.
Market Harborough C of E Academy
Market Harborough Church of England Academy is based in the centre of Market Harborough and is significantly larger than the surrounding village schools, with approximately 380 students and two classes per year group. Market Harborough C of E Academy’s facilities include a wide range of outdoor learning areas, such as a Woodland Copse, Peace Garden, Mini-orchard, Adventure Trail and Raised Vegetable Beds.
In 2015, 71% of students achieved Level 4 or above in reading, writing and maths at KS2, which is below the national average of 80%. 23% of pupils achieved Level 5 or above. From 2016, students from Market Harborough C of E will feed into either Welland Park Academy or Robert Smyth Academy, at each parent’s discretion.
Meadowdale
Meadowdale Primary School is a fairly new primary school based in Market Harborough, which opened in 2001 to cater for the new housing estates of Harborough between Kettering Road and Rockingham Road. Students at Meadowdale have access to a computer suite, as well as Apple Macs (which we love here at INICIO), iPads and iPods.
When the school first opened, it was formed of Reception and a Year 1/2 class, but now has approximately 400 children divided into 2 classes per year group. Students at Meadowdale may transfer to either Welland Park Academy or Robert Smyth Academy for secondary school, with some children transferring to other schools in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.
83% of Meadowdale pupils achieved Level 4 or above at KS2 for reading, writing and maths in 2015, compared to 80% nationally. The school achieved ‘Good’ rating by Ofsted following an inspection in 2014, and Category 1 (Outstanding) by Leicestershire County Council.
St Joseph’s
St Joseph’s Catholic Voluntary Academy is a Catholic primary school situated in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. The school is part of the Corpus Christi Catholic Academy Trust, and though St Joseph’s prioritises children of Catholic faith, it welcomes students from all faiths and backgrounds.
Activities and clubs range from Film Club (for the older students) to Judo, with a whole host of music lessons including saxophone, drums and violin. St Joseph’s places an increasing focus on design technology and ICT, which is used across the curriculum. Pupils are also introduced to Modern Foreign Languages by being taught French from Year 2 upwards.
100% of St Joseph’s pupils achieved Level 4 or above in reading, writing and maths at the end of KS2 for school year 2014/2015, with 31% achieving Level 5 or above. St Joseph’s was inspected by Ofsted in 2016 and was judged to be a good school.