Leigh Academy Strood
87%
Capacity
1,305
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Leigh Academy Strood
Leigh Academy Strood is a popular secondary school in Medway, and the numbers show it. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 449 applications for 258 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.74, meaning nearly two families applied for every spot. Of those, 171 were first-preference applications, all of which received offers. This level of demand suggests the school has a solid reputation among local parents, though it's worth noting that no parent survey data is available to give a direct recommendation percentage. The school is led by headteacher Jon Richardson and caters to 1,305 pupils aged 11 to 19, with capacity for 1,500. It's a mixed, non-faith state school, and a third of its pupils (33.7%) are eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average and reflects the diverse intake of the local community.
Academically, Leigh Academy Strood sits in the middle of the pack in Medway. Its Progress 8 score of -0.17 is slightly below the local authority average of -0.1, placing it 11th out of 18 schools in the area and in the bottom half nationally. Pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 41.2, with 59.7% securing a grade 4 or above in English and maths. However, only 29% reached the higher grade 5 benchmark. The EBacc entry rate is low at 10.9%, and just 6.3% of pupils entered the full EBacc. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021, the school was rated Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. This was an improvement from its previous inspection in 2012, when it was rated Requires Improvement. The sixth form, with 24 pupils, achieved a value-added score of -0.82, which is well below average, and an average points per entry of 19.52, equivalent to a D grade.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, and a sixth form centre, plus a chapel on site. Sports provision is strong, with options like rowing, martial arts, and rugby, and there are clubs covering drama, coding, and Young Enterprise. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school has a dedicated SEN unit and resourced provision, supporting conditions from dyslexia and autism to hearing and visual impairments. Given its oversubscription, families should apply early and list it as a first preference to maximise their chance of a place. Leigh Academy Strood is a solid, improving option for Medway families who want a large, inclusive secondary with good facilities and a broad extracurricular offer, but who are also realistic about its middle-of-the-road academic outcomes.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Carnation Road, Rochester, Medway, ME2 2SX |
| Headteacher | Jon Richardson |
| Local Authority | Medway |
| Number of Pupils | 1,305 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 33.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,305 / 1,500 (87% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
2 Dec 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (2 Dec 2021): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jul 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.17)
1930th of 3,141
Nationally
291st of 461
In South East
11th of 18
In Medway
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
'21/22
28.6
'22/23
25.6
'23/24
19.5
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2336%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 236 pupils).
- FE college48%
- School sixth form (stay)36%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained5%
- Employment3%
94% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2348%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 61 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
2%
Russell Group
2%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)48%
- Employment26%
- Not sustained15%
- Further education5%
- Apprenticeship3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Media/Film/Tv Studies19
- Sociology14
- English Literature11
- Art and Design (Photography)9
- Biology6
- History6
- Chemistry5
- Art and Design (Fine Art)3
- Mathematics3
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed258
449
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
171 families put this school as their 1st choice (38% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British72.6%
- Mixed6.3%
- White (other)6.1%
- Asian2.4%
- Black0.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
7
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Leigh Academy Strood
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Carnation Road, Rochester
Medway, ME2 2SX
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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