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West Leigh Infant School

Primary Ages 4-7 360 pupils Leigh-On-Sea
Ofsted: Good
All schools in Leigh-On-Sea

West Leigh Infant School is a community school in Leigh-On-Sea for pupils aged 4 to 7. It has 360 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for West Leigh Infant School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

Ofsted inspection: September 2024.

Type Primary / Community school
Age Range 4-7
Religion Does not apply
Address Ronald Hill Grove
Leigh-on-Sea
Essex
SS9 2JB
Reference Number 114780

General Makeup

Number of pupils 360
Boy/Girl ratio Boys: 47.5%
Girls: 52.5%
Percentage of students eligible for free school meals 3.1%
Percentage of students where English is not their first language 3.1%

Class Sizes

Average size of one teacher classes 30
Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher 30

Year Groups

Year Boys Girls Total
1 60 60 120
2 61 59 120

Ethnicities

Ethnicity Percentage
White, British 82.8%
White, Other 5.6%
White & Asian 3.6%
Indian 1.9%
African 1.4%
Mixed, Other 0.8%
Pakistani 0.8%
White & Black (Caribbean) 0.6%
White & Black (African) 0.6%
Chinese 0.3%
Unclassified 0.3%
Asian, Other 0.3%

West Leigh Infant School continues to perform well, maintaining its status as a good school. Pupils exhibit pride in their school and engage positively with their learning and peers, supported by a calm and nurturing environment. The school demonstrates high expectations for pupils, which is reflected in their enthusiastic attitudes towards learning and participation in various after-school clubs. However, while the curriculum is generally effective, some areas require improvement, particularly with assessment practices in a few subjects, which are still being developed.

Overall Ofsted Rating Good
Last Report Date 03 Jul 2024
Date Report
03 Jul 2024 School inspection
18 Oct 2018 Short inspection
22 Oct 2014 Full inspection:
15 Jan 2013 Interim assessment
03 Dec 2009 Full inspection:
15 Mar 2007 Full inspection:
17 Jun 2002 Full inspection

Strengths

  • Pupils have very positive attitudes towards learning.
  • The early reading curriculum is highly effective.
  • Pupils with special educational needs receive effective support.
  • Staff use consistent behavior management strategies.
  • The school offers a wide range of extracurricular activities.

Areas for Improvement

  • Assessment systems in a few subjects are still in early development.

Reception admissions, 2026 entry

Number of Applications Number of Offers
First Preference
Second Preference 54 2
Third Preference 37 0
From another Local Authority 25 5

Previous years

Sample

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Places and pupil numbers

In 2024–25 West Leigh Infant School had 360 pupils for 360 places. Every place was filled.

Pupils and places

Reception intake in the “Leigh Primary” planning area

Southend-on-Sea counted 572 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 442 in 2029–30, down 23%.

201020112012201320142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Places 330330330330330330330330330330360360360360360
Pupils 359360361360360361361360358359358357360359360
Unfilled 0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.6%0.8%0.0%0.3%0.0%

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at West Leigh Infant School attended 96.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Authorised absence 2.8%2.3%2.7%2.1%2.8%2.1%0.9%2.7%2.9%3.5%2.7%
Unauthorised absence 0.2%0.2%0.3%0.5%0.6%0.7%0.2%0.7%0.7%0.6%0.7%
Severely absent pupils 0.0%0.0%0.4%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.4%0.0%0.0%0.4%

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at West Leigh Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

2010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Permanent exclusions 0000000000000000

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 West Leigh Infant School had 21.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Pupils per adult 13.613.312.213.713.113.813.813.313.213.114.711.410.09.810.210.5
Teachers who left state teaching 6.0%2.6%0.0%13.8%25.3%7.0%0.0%6.4%0.0%12.6%14.5%0.0%6.2%0.0%6.1%–
Teachers who took any sick leave 55.6%75.0%70.0%57.1%57.9%64.7%41.2%21.1%47.1%–33.3%77.8%52.6%57.9%44.4%–
Sick days per teacher 2.84.22.83.32.73.61.41.00.9–0.85.31.51.70.7–

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 8.9% of pupils at West Leigh Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

SEN support EHC plan
Speech, language and communication needs 18 4
Social, emotional and mental health 8 1
Moderate learning difficulty 6 0
Physical disability 0 1

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 West Leigh Infant School received £6,736 and spent £6,926 for each of its 360 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £626,000 (£1,738 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

20192020202120222023202420252026
Revenue reserve £449,000£563,000£656,000£776,000£699,000£720,000£694,000£626,000
per pupil £1,248£1,564£1,826£2,172£1,946£2,016£1,940£1,738
In-year balance -£38,000£114,000£92,000£120,000-£77,000£21,000-£25,000-£69,000
per pupil -£106£316£258£336-£214£60-£71-£191

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

Name Distance
West Leigh Junior School
Ronald Hill Grove, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 2JB
0 miles
St. Michael's School
0.27 miles
Leigh North Street Primary School
North Street, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1QE
0.49 miles
Darlinghurst Academy
Pavilion Drive, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 3JS
0.76 miles
Blenheim Primary School
School Way, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 4HX
0.84 miles
Fairways Primary School
The Fairway, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 4QW
0.94 miles
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School
Manchester Drive, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 3HS
0.97 miles
Chalkwell Hall Infant School
London Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 3NL
1.05 miles
Chalkwell Hall Junior School
London Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 3NL
1.05 miles
Saint Pierre School
16 Leigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1LE
1.09 miles
Eastwood Primary School & Nursery
Rayleigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 5UT
1.41 miles
Hadleigh Infant and Nursery School
Bilton Road, Hadleigh, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 2HQ
1.46 miles
Hadleigh Junior School
Church Road, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 2DQ
1.52 miles
Edwards Hall Primary School
Macmurdo Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 5AQ
1.66 miles
Heycroft Primary School
Benvenue Avenue, Eastwood, Benvenue Avenue, LEIGH-on-SEA, Essex, SS9 5SJ
1.68 miles
Earls Hall Primary School
Carlton Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0QN
1.96 miles
Westwood Academy
Beresford Close, Hadleigh, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 2SU
2 miles
Prince Avenue Academy and Nursery
Hornby Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0LG
2.13 miles
The Westborough School
Macdonald Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 9BS
2.18 miles
Milton Hall Primary School and Nursery
Salisbury Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 7AU
2.32 miles
Name Distance
Belfairs Academy
Highlands Boulevard, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 3TG
0.37 miles
Estuary High School
820 London Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 3NH
0.85 miles
Westcliff High School for Girls
Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0BS
0.92 miles
The St Christopher School
Mountdale Gardens, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 4AW
0.96 miles
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy
Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0BP
0.97 miles
St Thomas More High School
Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0BW
1.09 miles
The Eastwood Academy
Rayleigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 5UU
1.33 miles
Kingsdown School
Snakes Lane, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6XT
1.49 miles
Chase High School
Prittlewell Chase, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0RT
1.82 miles
Lancaster School
Prittlewell Chase, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0RT
1.82 miles
Southend High School for Boys
Prittlewell Chase, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0RG
2.09 miles
St Bernard's High School
Milton Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 7JS
2.3 miles
The King John School
Shipwrights Drive, Thundersley, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 1RQ
2.34 miles
Compass Community School Boleyn Park
8 Trinity Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 7PU
2.36 miles
The Deanes
Daws Heath Road, Thundersley, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 2TD
2.5 miles
South Essex College of Further and Higher Education
Luker Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 1ND
2.74 miles
Cedar Hall School
Hart Road, Thundersley, Cedar Hall School, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 3UQ
2.86 miles
Castle View School
Foksville Road, Canvey Island, Essex, SS8 7FH
2.92 miles
USP College
Runnymede Chase, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 1TW
2.96 miles
Sutton House Academy
Wentworth Road, Southend-On-Sea, Essex, SS2 5LG
3.11 miles

All schools in Leigh-On-Sea · Southend-on-Sea local authority: places and applications

What is West Leigh Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for West Leigh Infant School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was West Leigh Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

West Leigh Infant School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does West Leigh Infant School have?

West Leigh Infant School has 360 pupils on roll.

What age range does West Leigh Infant School cover?

West Leigh Infant School for pupils aged 4 to 7.

Where is West Leigh Infant School?

West Leigh Infant School is at Ronald Hill Grove, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 2JB.

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