Leighswood School

Leighswood School is a good school where pupils are polite, caring and enjoy attending. Inspectors found high expectations, positive behaviour and respectful relationships, with most pupils achieving well by the end of key stage 2. The broad and ambitious curriculum is well sequenced from the early years, and reading is a clear priority, with effective phonics teaching and quick support for pupils at risk of falling behind. Safeguarding is effective, attendance has improved, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified swiftly, with strengthened support processes in place. The school is part of the Cadmus Family of Schools federation and has experienced some recent changes, including a new executive headteacher. Leaders have a strong vision for improvement and work closely with the federation and local authority, while being mindful of staff well-being. However, some new teaching and classroom strategies intended to improve outcomes for all groups, including pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, are not yet consistently embedded. The extra-curricular offer is also limited, meaning pupils do not always have a wide range of experiences to develop talents and interests beyond the academic curriculum. A small number of parents and staff have felt unsettled by recent changes, although the school has worked hard to communicate clearly.

Strengths

• Pupils are polite, considerate and caring, and they enjoy attending school.
• High expectations are set for all pupils, and most achieve well by the end of key stage 2.
• Pupils behave well in lessons and social times, so no learning time is lost.
• Kind and respectful relationships help pupils feel safe and well cared for.
• The curriculum is broad, ambitious and clearly sequenced from the early years.
• Reading is a priority, with effective phonics teaching and regular checks on progress.
• Pupils at risk of falling behind in reading are identified quickly and supported to catch up.
• Pupils with SEND have their needs identified swiftly, and support processes have been strengthened.
• Pupils show positive attitudes to learning and benefit from practical enrichment such as outdoor learning.
• Attendance has improved through strong family relationships and effective pastoral support.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• There is a strong vision for improvement, with close working between the school, federation and local authority.

Areas for Improvement

• New teaching and classroom strategies are not yet embedded or delivered consistently across all subjects and classes.
• The school's intentions to improve outcomes for all groups, including pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, are not sharply focused enough.
• Some new SEND approaches, such as visual timetables, are not used consistently.
• The extra-curricular offer is limited, so pupils do not have enough chances to explore talents and interests.
• Some pupils do not benefit from a wide range of experiences beyond the academic curriculum.
• A small number of parents and staff have felt unsettled by recent changes.

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 Leighswood School attended 93.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

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, 2.1% of pupils at Leighswood School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

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 Leighswood School had 19.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 32.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

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, 14.9% of pupils at Leighswood School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

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 Leighswood School received £7,702 and spent £8,256 for each of its 421 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £27,000 (£63 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

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

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Walsall · Walsall local authority: places and applications

What is Leighswood School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Leighswood School is Good, from an inspection in April 2025.

When was Leighswood School last inspected by Ofsted?

Leighswood School was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does Leighswood School have?

Leighswood School has 442 pupils on roll.

What age range does Leighswood School cover?

Leighswood School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Leighswood School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Leighswood School?

Leighswood School is at Broadmeadow, Aldridge, Walsall, West Midlands, WS9 8HZ.