Belfairs Academy, Leigh-on-Sea

Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades Belfairs Academy on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils generally do not miss much of school."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school has inclusion at its heart."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school's personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is comprehensive."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Students in the sixth form who take A-level courses are not achieving as well as they should."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "The effectiveness of the support for pupils' reading, writing and numeracy across the curriculum is variable."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Governance is not working as it should."

Post-16 provision - Needs attention. "Over time, leaders have been slow to ensure that the sixth form meets the needs of the students it serves."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to implement their plans with regard to improving the provision for pupils who require support with early reading, literacy and numeracy so that they can access the full curriculum and achieve well"; "Leaders should improve outcomes in A level in the sixth form through strengthening the curriculum and its delivery"; "Leaders should continue to improve attendance so that pupils make the most of their education and opportunities afforded to them"; "The trust should address, with rigour, the deficiencies in governance so that their monitoring and evaluation of actions for school improvement is sharper, enabling them to hold school leaders effectively to account".

In its own words: "To prepare and empower everyone to embark on future challenges with excitement and confidence. To foster respect and responsibility and reach out into the wider world."

On phones, the school says: "If a student is found using a mobile phone on the academy site, it will be confiscated immediately and only returned to a parent/carer."

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 4 November 2026, an open evening on Wednesday 18 November 2026, an open day on Tuesday 24 November 2026 and an open evening on Thursday 26 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Belfairs Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 55 in Southend-on-Sea and 47 across England.

40% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 59% in Southend-on-Sea and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 45.5.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.31: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 35.2, against 48.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 28 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 129 families put Belfairs Academy as their first choice and 680 named it as one of their preferences, for 272 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Belfairs Academy are Westcliff High School for Girls (1.2 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 73.8); Westcliff High School for Boys Academy (1.2 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 77.2); St Thomas More High School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52.9); and The Eastwood Academy (1.4 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 51.2).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Belfairs Academy.

Belfairs Academy is one of 2 schools run by Legra Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 276 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 51% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 89 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 39% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 45% into work. 4% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

6.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (78%) and Mixed (6%).

In 2026, 166 pupils (10.7%) received SEN support and 35 (2.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Leigh-on-Sea Rail Station, about 1000 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Belfairs School (outside), 110 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 145 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Southend-on-Sea (318).

In 2024/25, Belfairs Academy issued 57 suspensions, 3.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Belfairs Academy are West Leigh Infant School (0.4 miles), West Leigh Junior School (0.4 miles), Fairways Primary School (0.8 miles) and Leigh North Street Primary School (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.