Leigh Academy Marden

Marden Primary Academy is performing well overall, having been awarded a 'Good' rating in its first inspection. The school has notable strengths, particularly in its behaviour and attitudes, as well as in personal development and leadership, which received 'Outstanding' ratings. The positive and inclusive culture at the school fosters a strong sense of community among pupils, who actively participate in various enrichment activities. However, there are areas for further development in some subjects where the curriculum is still being fully established, and ongoing support for staff, particularly for newer educators, is essential.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate high standards of behaviour and respect for each other.
• Strong sense of community and inclusiveness reflected in the school culture.
• Effective implementation of a new ambitious curriculum for all pupils.
• High priority placed on reading with rapid phonics implementation.
• Outstanding leadership and management with a clear vision for improvement.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum development remains at an early stage in some subjects.
• Inconsistent use of effective questioning and engagement techniques in early years.

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 Academy Marden attended 94.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.0% 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, 0.9% of pupils at Leigh Academy Marden 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 Academy Marden had 19.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.8% 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, 10.8% of pupils at Leigh Academy Marden were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.6% 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 Academy Marden received £6,186 and spent £6,619 for each of its 322 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £163,000 (£506 per pupil).

Across all 33 schools of Leigh Academies Trust, income was £8,972 and spending £8,821 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 Maidstone · Kent local authority: places and applications

Leigh Academy Marden is part of Leigh Academies Trust, which runs 33 schools. The nearest others:

• Leigh Academy Horsmonden Tonbridge
• Leigh Academy Mascalls Tonbridge
• Leigh Academy Paddock Wood Tonbridge
• Leigh Academy Langley Park Maidstone
• Leigh Academy Tree Tops Maidstone
• Leigh Academy Oaks Maidstone
• Leigh Academy Molehill Maidstone
• Leigh Academy Bearsted Maidstone
• Leigh Academy Snowfields Maidstone
• Leigh Academy Hugh Christie Tonbridge

What is Leigh Academy Marden's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Leigh Academy Marden is Good, from an inspection in April 2023.

When was Leigh Academy Marden last inspected by Ofsted?

Leigh Academy Marden was last inspected in April 2023.

How many pupils does Leigh Academy Marden have?

Leigh Academy Marden has 323 pupils on roll.

What age range does Leigh Academy Marden cover?

Leigh Academy Marden for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Leigh Academy Marden's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Leigh Academy Marden?

Leigh Academy Marden is at Goudhurst Road, Marden, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 9JX.