Leigh Academy Oaks, Maidstone

Ofsted's report card from its 10 March 2026 inspection grades Leigh Academy Oaks on 7 areas: 6 exceptional and 1 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Exceptional. "Pupil achievement at Leigh Academy Oaks is excellent."

Curriculum and teaching - Exceptional. "Leaders have an excellent understanding of the school's ambitious curriculum."

Early years - Exceptional. "Children get off to a very successful start in the early years."

Inclusion - Exceptional. "Leaders have cultivated a highly effective, inclusive culture that is woven throughout Leigh Academy Oaks."

Leadership and governance - Exceptional. "Leaders are impressively dedicated to ensuring that all pupils achieve highly."

Personal development and wellbeing - Exceptional. "Personal development and wellbeing is a notable strength of the school's work."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Over time, pupils' rates of attendance have been close to the national average."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue their work to maintain high rates of attendance over time so that all pupils benefit as much as they can from the school's exceptional standard of education".

The school runs after-school care.

In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at Leigh Academy Oaks reached the expected standard in reading and 89% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 92% in reading and 92% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 34 families put Leigh Academy Oaks as their first choice and 112 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Leigh Academy Oaks are Leigh Academy Molehill (0.2 miles, Good, 95% reading, 95% maths); Tiger Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 75% reading, 75% maths); Greenfields Community Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 69% reading, 80% maths); and Park Way Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 78% reading, 67% maths).

Leigh Academy Oaks's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Leigh Academy Oaks 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.

44 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Leigh Academy Oaks (as of April 2026): 82% would recommend the school, 84% say their child is happy there and 36% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (84%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (36%).

38.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 33 pupils (15.6%) received SEN support and 4 (1.9%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Maidstone West Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Grove Road (adjacent), 120 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Leigh Academy Oaks stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 289 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Leigh Academy Oaks issued 16 suspensions, 7.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Leigh Academy Oaks are New Line Learning Academy (0.3 miles), Maidstone Grammar School (1.1 miles) and Cornwallis Academy (1.6 miles).