Joseph Leckie Academy, Walsall

Ofsted's report card from its 3 February 2026 inspection grades Joseph Leckie Academy on 7 areas: 2 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders are ambitious for all pupils and are relentless in their drive to ensure that their needs are met."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The strategic leadership of personal development and wellbeing is highly effective and impactful."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils learn the school curriculum well."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have put in place a significant programme this year to improve attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders understand the needs of their pupils and have delivered a curriculum that is ambitious, broad and relevant."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders are confident and knowledgeable."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders are passionate, ambitious and have high expectations for students in the sixth form."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that all staff apply agreed approaches to assessment consistently so that, in lessons, teachers check what pupils have understood and remembered and use this information to adapt teaching where needed"; "Leaders should continue to improve attendance for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, by ensuring that strategies to promote regular attendance are used consistently and have a sustained impact over time".

In its own words: "We are a community with the courage to learn and lead together. We believe in equality of opportunity and support the achievement and wellbeing of all. We work to improve ourselves and each other, acting with integrity, empathy and kindness and celebrating one another's successes."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted to introduce myself as the Principal and I look forward to meeting you very soon. Joseph Leckie is an academy with a rich history, high expectations of everyone and a strong foundation upon which to build further."

In 2026, pupils at Joseph Leckie Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.9 in Walsall and 47 across England.

36% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 39% in Walsall and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 42.4.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.11: pupils made above 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 37.9, against 48.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 213 families put Joseph Leckie Academy as their first choice and 412 named it as one of their preferences, for 296 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 Joseph Leckie Academy are Wood Green Academy (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.9); Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 41.5); Queen Mary's Grammar School (1.1 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 72.6); and Blue Coat Church of England Academy (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36.5).

Joseph Leckie Academy's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Joseph Leckie Academy is one of 5 schools run by The Forge Brook Trust, an academy trust.

47 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Joseph Leckie Academy (as of April 2026): 81% would recommend the school, 81% say their child is happy there and 38% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (83%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (38%).

Of the 237 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 34% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 119 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 71% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 5% into work. 11% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

52.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 70.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (69%), White British (9%) and Black (8%).

In 2026, 135 pupils (8.9%) received SEN support and 35 (2.3%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Bescot Stadium Rail Station, about 660 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Joseph Leckie School (adjacent), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Joseph Leckie Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Joseph Leckie Academy issued 96 suspensions, 6.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 6 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Joseph Leckie Academy are Delves Infant School (0.5 miles), Delves Junior School (0.5 miles), Whitehall Nursery and Infant Academy (0.5 miles) and Whitehall Junior Community School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.