Leigh Academy Bexley, Erith

Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades Leigh Academy Bexley 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 have built an inclusive community, where pupils feel a real sense of belonging."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for the school."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Over time, pupils' attainment and progress in GCSE examinations at the end of key stage 4 have been low."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have placed a high priority on improving pupils' attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The well-designed curriculum is broad and ambitious."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school has put in place a well-sequenced personal development programme that builds pupils' knowledge and experiences over time."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure there is a broad and ambitious post-16 programme of study that prepares students well for their next steps."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that they continue to drive school improvement with precision so that pupils achieve well over time and attain more highly in national examinations"; "Leaders should strengthen routines for checking pupils' understanding so that teaching identifies and responds to gaps accurately before moving learning on"; "Leaders should continue to work to remove barriers to regular attendance for some pupils so that the number of pupils attending regularly continues to increase"; "Leaders should ensure that the school continues its work to strengthen the personal development programme so that all pupils build a deep and detailed understanding of the key principles and content that are taught".

In its own words: "At Leigh Academy Bexley, we believe in providing our young people with an extraordinary education; one that unlocks curiosity, ignites ambition and forges a social conscience, enabling our students to have an impact on the world around them. We are proud to be a truly comprehensive school; a school where all students are valued, supported and inspired."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am very privileged to be the Principal of Leigh Academy Bexley. Our vision is that regardless of background and regardless of their starting point, students will leave us as kind, resilient, independent learners with the right behaviour and attitudes to ensure continuous progress and achievement, ready for the next stage of their education and beyond."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, athletics, basketball, dance, STEM, photography, debating and book club.

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 12 November 2026 at 5pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Leigh Academy Bexley averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 52.2 in Bexley and 47 across England.

30% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 56% in Bexley and 47% in England.

That is up from 35.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.95: pupils made well 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 35.4, against 44.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Statistics.

For September 2026 entry, 170 families put Leigh Academy Bexley as their first choice and 520 named it as one of their preferences, for 170 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 27 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Leigh Academy Bexley are Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.9); Lift Bexleyheath (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.3); St Catherine's Catholic School (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 55.5); and Haberdashers' Crayford Academy (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.8).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Leigh Academy Bexley.

Leigh Academy Bexley is one of 33 schools run by Leigh Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.4 in 2024/25.

Of the 266 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 44% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 44 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 39% went on to university or other higher education, 11% to apprenticeships and 30% into work.

41.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 196 pupils (22.5%) received SEN support and 28 (3.2%) 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.

Leigh Academy Bexley has a resourced provision for autism: 15 places, 15 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Erith Rail Station, about 1030 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is King Henry School (->w), 80 metres away.

In 2024/25, Leigh Academy Bexley issued 112 suspensions, 12.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Leigh Academy Bexley are St Fidelis Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles), Barnehurst Infant School (0.4 miles), Christ Church (Erith) CofE Primary School (0.4 miles) and Barnehurst Junior School (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.