OFSTED
27 February 2024
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Good
OEIF
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership & management
Outstanding
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Free schools
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Medway
Trust
LEIGH ACADEMIES TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
964
964 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
444
46.1% of pupils
Male pupils
520
53.9% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
2.5 pts
below England
School
22.3%
Medway
25.5%
South East
19.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
12.4 pts
below England
School
7.9%
Medway
16.5%
South East
15.6%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.9 pts
above England
School
1.9%
Medway
1.0%
South East
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
72.3%
697
African
5.7%
55
Any other White background
5.6%
54
Any other Mixed background
3.9%
38
Unclassified
3.7%
36
Indian
1.2%
12
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
22.9%
221 of
964 pupils
2.1 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
4.6 pts
above
England
6.0%
2.5 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
6.21%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
In line with
England
School
6.21%
Medway
6.74%
South East
6.30%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
17.30%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
1.48 pts
higher than
England
School
17.30%
Medway
18.21%
South East
15.75%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
3.32%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
1.51 pts
higher than
England
School
3.32%
Medway
2.36%
South East
1.93%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
83.8%
8.5 pts
below England
Leigh Academy Rainham
83.8%
Medway
97.6%
South East
95.0%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.