Leigh Academy Bearsted, Maidstone
Leigh Academy Bearsted is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Maidstone, part of Leigh Academies Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 8th-highest of the 43 schools in Maidstone with published results, and 3,246th of 14,452 across England. It was 85% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Kent (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Leigh Academy Bearsted in detail
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at Leigh Academy Bearsted reached the expected standard in reading and 82% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Getting a place at Leigh Academy Bearsted
For September 2026 entry, 36 families put Leigh Academy Bearsted as their first choice and 154 named it as one of their preferences, for 47 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Leigh Academy Bearsted
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Leigh Academy Bearsted are Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 91% reading, 89% maths); Roseacre Junior School (0.8 miles, Good, 87% reading, 79% maths); Thurnham Church of England Infant School (0.8 miles, Good); and Valley Invicta Primary School At East Borough (1.2 miles, Good, 81% reading, 81% maths).
Leigh Academy Bearsted's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary SchoolRoseacre Junior SchoolThurnham Church of England Infant SchoolValley Invicta Primary School At East Borough
The trust
Leigh Academy Bearsted is one of 33 schools run by Leigh Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 81% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
10.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 26.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (53%), Mixed (13%) and Black (8%).
In 2026, 73 pupils (17.7%) received SEN support and 5 (1.2%) 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.
Staffing
Leigh Academy Bearsted had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 27 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bearsted Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Leigh Academy Bearsted stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 38 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Leigh Academy Bearsted issued 6 suspensions, 1.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Leigh Academy Bearsted are School of Science and Technology Maidstone (0.9 miles), Valley Park School (1 mile) and Invicta Grammar School (1.1 miles).
School of Science and Technology MaidstoneValley Park SchoolInvicta Grammar School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its January 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
10.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
Class Sizes
29.4
Avg class size
28.7
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
14
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Leigh Academy Bearsted
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Leigh Academy Bearsted.
- DDivine Training LtdAt the school · Not yet graded
- Venture Camps MaidstoneAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Leigh Academy Bearsted from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Leigh Academy Bearsted is in Kent; for families living there:
Apply to Kent for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Leigh Academy Bearsted
Will you get a place at Leigh Academy Bearsted? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Leigh Academy Bearsted's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Leigh Academy Bearsted:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Leigh Academy Bearsted.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Leigh Academy Bearsted for 2021 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Kent got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
85%
Available places
357 pupils
420 places
63 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Maidstone
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Maidstone
Across Kent council
Places available
18,893
Applications
16,593
Got 1st preference
89.7%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
73
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
18.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
412
Total Pupils
199
Boys
213
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
31.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,353
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,910
Per pupil
£1923k
Total funding
£58k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
10.1%
Persistent absence
308
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Leigh Academy Bearsted
What are SATs results like at Leigh Academy Bearsted?
Of the pupils at Leigh Academy Bearsted who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 82% did so in maths.
What is Leigh Academy Bearsted's Ofsted rating?
Leigh Academy Bearsted was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023.
What is the catchment area for Leigh Academy Bearsted?
No fixed boundary. When Leigh Academy Bearsted is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Leigh Academy Bearsted?
Leigh Academy Bearsted was not full in 2025: it ran at 85% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Leigh Academy Bearsted?
Classes at Leigh Academy Bearsted average 29.4 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Leigh Academy Bearsted?
Leigh Academy Bearsted has around 412 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Leigh Academy Bearsted?
4.8% of sessions were missed at Leigh Academy Bearsted in 2024/25. 10.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Leigh Academy Bearsted?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Leigh Academy Bearsted on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Leigh Academy Bearsted have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs at the school: DDivine Training Ltd (registered, not yet graded) and Venture Camps Maidstone (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Leigh Academy Bearsted?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Leigh Academy Bearsted?
Leigh Academy Bearsted is at Popesfield Way, Weavering, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5GA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)