Leigh Academy Strood

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture of safeguarding.
• Attendance is improving and persistent absence has reduced sharply.
• Pupils are polite, well mannered and benefit from disruption-free classrooms.
• Bullying and discriminatory language are infrequent and dealt with swiftly.
• The curriculum is highly ambitious, broad and well sequenced.
• Teachers are subject experts and routinely check pupils' understanding.
• Early career teachers are skilfully supported to deliver the curriculum well.
• Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND receive effective adaptations and support.
• Pupils in the specially resourced provision for autism are fully included and make strong progress.
• Inclusion work is meticulous, with strong transition arrangements and precise use of pupil premium funding.
• Leadership and governance are strong, with high expectations and robust accountability.
• Staff wellbeing and professional learning are well managed.
• Personal development, PSHE, careers education and extracurricular provision are highly effective.
• Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training.
• Post-16 provision is developing well, with increasing vocational and International Baccalaureate courses.

Areas for Improvement

• National examination outcomes at key stage 4 and key stage 5 have historically been below national averages.
• GCSE attainment in English and maths remains below the national average, including for disadvantaged pupils.
• Post-16 A-level average point score and value added are below national averages.
• Persistent absence remains above the national average.
• Disadvantaged pupils' GCSE English and maths attainment gap remains large.
• Pupils' overall achievement in national tests does not yet reflect improvements to curriculum delivery.
• Leaders must sustain teaching quality so all pupils, including post-16 students, achieve well in national examinations.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools