LeAF Studio

LeAF Studio is a 13–19 academy studio school in Bournemouth, part of Authentic Education Group, specialising in sports and performing arts. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and under the current framework it received no overall effectiveness grade. Inspectors judged the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision to be good, with personal development outstanding; the previous inspection grade was also good. Pupils were found to flourish in a supportive community, are highly motivated, and benefit from rare low-level disruption and strong enrichment. The specialist curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced, vocational outcomes are strong, and pupils’ destinations are good, including for disadvantaged pupils. Staff have considerable subject expertise and are well supported through professional development. Pupils with SEND thrive in their specialist subjects and follow the same ambitious curriculum, but in the core curriculum their targets are not precise or reviewed often enough, and the school does not yet have a secure understanding of how well they are progressing. Reading support is at an early stage, curriculum planning is less embedded in core subjects than in specialist areas, and persistent absence remains too high for some pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils feel part of a supportive community and are free to be themselves.
• Pupils are highly motivated, work hard and low-level disruption is rare.
• The specialist sports and performing arts curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced.
• Vocational outcomes are strong and pupils are well prepared for their next steps.
• Staff have considerable subject expertise and value the professional development available.
• Personal development is a strength, with an exceptional range of enrichment opportunities.
• Pupils receive regular, independent careers advice and benefit from strong industry and higher education links.
• Pupils with SEND thrive in their specialist subjects and follow the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.
• Staff and pupils have positive, mutually respectful relationships and pupils feel safe.
• Attendance is improving because leaders and the trust monitor trends and work effectively with families.
• Sixth-form students benefit from off-site specialist providers and additional qualifications.

Areas for Improvement

• SEND targets in the core curriculum are not precise or reviewed often enough.
• The school does not have a secure enough understanding of how well pupils with SEND are progressing.
• Trust oversight of the provision for pupils with SEND needs to be stronger.
• Additional reading support is in the early stages of implementation.
• Curriculum planning is less embedded in the core curriculum than in specialist areas.
• Persistent absence remains too high for too many pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils.
• Published key stage 4 and 5 academic outcomes are lower than is typical nationally, although pupils join the school in Year 9.

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 LeAF Studio attended 90.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 30.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 7.4% of pupils at LeAF Studio were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 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 LeAF Studio had 17.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 19.0% of pupils at LeAF Studio were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 LeAF Studio received £5,483 and spent £8,773 for each of its 461 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £444,000 (£963 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of Authentic Education Group Limited, income was £9,345 and spending £9,661 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bournemouth · Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole local authority: places and applications

LeAF Studio is part of Authentic Education Group Limited, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Oak Academy Bournemouth
• Elm Academy Bournemouth
• Kinson Academy Bournemouth
• Manorside Academy Poole
• St Aldhelm's Academy Poole
• Queen's Park Academy Bournemouth
• Longspee Academy Poole
• King's Park Academy Bournemouth
• Tregonwell Academy Bournemouth
• Bayside Academy Poole

What is LeAF Studio's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for LeAF Studio is Good, from an inspection in October 2024.

When was LeAF Studio last inspected by Ofsted?

LeAF Studio was last inspected in October 2024.

How many pupils does LeAF Studio have?

LeAF Studio has 458 pupils on roll.

What age range does LeAF Studio cover?

LeAF Studio for pupils aged 13 to 19.

Where is LeAF Studio?

LeAF Studio is at Holloway Avenue, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH11 9JW.