Leigh Academy Mascalls, Tonbridge

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

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders and those responsible for governance act with integrity and a strong sense of moral purpose."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school's personal development provision is a particular strength."

Post 16 provision - Strong standard. "Sixth‑form students are very well prepared for their next steps into adulthood."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils generally learn well across all key stages, securing essential knowledge that prepares them effectively for key stage 4 and post‑16 study."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders maintain detailed oversight of attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders act decisively to ensure pupils learn an ambitious curriculum that supports future success."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders identify pupils' needs quickly and accurately, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment information effectively to identify and address gaps, errors and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge"; "Leaders should continue to raise the achievement of pupils, so that they acquire the detailed and ambitious knowledge they need for future success".

In 2026, pupils at Leigh Academy Mascalls averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.1 in Kent and 47 across England.

35% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Kent and 47% in England.

That is up from 40.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.17: 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 34.3, against 44.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Spanish and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 190 families put Leigh Academy Mascalls as their first choice and 492 named it as one of their preferences, for 268 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 Leigh Academy Mascalls are Hadlow Rural Community School (4.5 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 39.3); Skinners' Kent Academy (4.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.8); Hillview School for Girls (4.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.1); and Weald of Kent Grammar School (4.8 miles, Requires improvement, selective, Attainment 8 69.3).

Leigh Academy Mascalls's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Leigh Academy Mascalls 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 228 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 81% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 47% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 7% into work.

Of the 104 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 40% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 33% into work. 5% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

4.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 201 pupils (16.4%) received SEN support and 20 (1.6%) 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 Paddock Wood Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mascalls Academy Grounds (in), 150 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 61 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).

In 2024/25, Leigh Academy Mascalls issued 175 suspensions, 14.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Leigh Academy Mascalls are Leigh Academy Paddock Wood (0.6 miles) and Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School (1.2 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.