Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy

Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy continues to maintain a 'good' overall grade following its ungraded inspection. The evidence suggests that with its high levels of teaching effectiveness and pupil engagement, it might achieve an outstanding grade in its next inspection. The school is well-managed within the Northwick Park Trust, and emphasizes the importance of attendance, particularly building on improvements made in recent months. Notably, pupils at the school make excellent progress, showcasing strong skills in reading, behavior, and collaborative support for one another.

Strengths

• Pupils make excellent progress and achieve very well.
• Teaching of early reading is consistent and effective.
• Pupils with SEND are supported well to achieve strong outcomes.
• Behaviour is excellent, with pupils demonstrating support for each other.
• The curriculum is well-planned and engaging for pupils.
• High focus on vocabulary and speaking takes place in the classroom.
• Pupils participate actively in enriching experiences and clubs.

Areas for Improvement

• Regular attendance remains a key priority for improvement.

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 Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy attended 94.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.6% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy 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 Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy had 34.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 5.3% of pupils at Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.0% 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 2024–25 Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy received £5,615 and spent £5,882 for each of its 288 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £71,000 (-£247 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of Northwick Park Trust, income was £6,428 and spending £7,007 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 Canvey Island · Essex local authority: places and applications

Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy is part of Northwick Park Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• William Read Primary Academy Canvey Island
• Northwick Park Primary and Nursery Academy Canvey Island

What is Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy have?

Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy has 342 pupils on roll.

What age range does Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy cover?

Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy for pupils aged 2 to 7.

Where is Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy?

Leigh Beck Infant School and Nursery Academy is at Point Road, Canvey Island, Essex, SS8 7TD.