Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet

About Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet

Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet’s Progress 8 score sits at exactly -0.13, which is identical to the Kent local authority average for secondary schools. That places it squarely in the middle of the pack — ranked 48th out of 106 schools of the same type in the county, and 8th out of 10 in Dartford itself. In national terms, the school falls just inside the bottom half, at the 59th percentile. So while the headline number doesn’t stand out as either strong or weak, it’s worth noting that the school’s Progress 8 banding is officially described as “Average,” and its Attainment 8 score of 44.8 is a solid, unremarkable figure. The school is oversubscribed — 367 applications for 163 places in 2025/26 — and 84% of parents who responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey would recommend it, which suggests that families see something beyond the raw data.

Academically, the picture is mixed. At KS4, 58.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, but that drops to 34.1% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 3.97, and only 11.6% of pupils entered the EBacc and achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths. The school’s strongest Progress 8 component is the open bucket (which includes arts, humanities and vocational subjects) at -0.01, while maths is the weakest at -0.35. At sixth form, the picture is more concerning: the value added score is -0.37, described as “Below average,” and the average points per entry is 24.75, equivalent to a D+. The best three A-levels average out at a C-. Ofsted’s most recent graded inspection in 2019 rated the school Good overall, but the sixth form provision was judged as Requires Improvement. An ungraded inspection in December 2024 noted that the school had “Improved significantly” since then, though the sixth form rating hasn’t yet been revisited.

The school is well-resourced on paper, with a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre among its facilities. It offers a wide range of sports including rowing and rugby, plus clubs like Model UN, Young Enterprise and coding. SEND provision covers eight categories, including Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Speech, Language & Communication needs, and 53% of parents strongly agreed that SEND children get the support they need — though 17% strongly disagreed, the highest negative figure in the survey. The school is oversubscribed by a ratio of 2.25 to 1, and 131 first-preference offers were made. With 35.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it serves a significantly disadvantaged intake compared to many Kent secondaries. This is a school that families choose for its broad offer and inclusive feel, but the sixth form and maths outcomes are areas to watch closely.

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