SCHOOL PROFILE

Leigh Academy Snowfields

Not applicable Free schools special URN 147870
Open
Pupils 8,834,192 Latest school census
Capacity 372 Published school capacity
Capacity used 95.4% Pupils as a share of capacity
Age range 11 – 18 Statutory age range
OFSTED

Latest graded inspection

27 June 2023
Latest published outcome Outstanding
OEIF
Quality of education Outstanding
Behaviour & attitudes Outstanding
Personal development Outstanding
Leadership & management Outstanding
SCHOOL DETAILS

About this school

School type Free schools special
Phase Not applicable
Gender Mixed
Religious character —
Local authority Kent
Trust LEIGH ACADEMIES TRUST
Census date 15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE

School community

Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.

2025/26
Total pupils 355 355 full-time · 0 part-time
Female pupils 115 32.4% of pupils
Male pupils 240 67.6% of pupils

Free school meals

Pupils eligible for free school meals.

32.7%
7.9 pts above England
School 32.7%
Maidstone 21.6%
South East 19.0%
England 24.8%

English as an additional language

Pupils whose first language is not English.

0.3%
20.0 pts below England
School 0.3%
Maidstone 16.4%
South East 15.6%
England 20.3%

Young carers

Pupils recorded as young carers.

0.3%
0.7 pts below England
School 0.3%
Maidstone 1.5%
South East 1.7%
England 1.0%

Ethnicity

Largest recorded pupil groups.

White British
86.8%
308
Any other Mixed background
2.3%
8
Unclassified
2.3%
8
White and Black Caribbean
2.0%
7
White and Asian
1.1%
4
Any other Asian background
0.8%
3
Council, regional and national comparisons are pupil-weighted using published school census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS

Special educational needs

Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.

2025/26
Pupils with SEN 100.0% 355 of 355 pupils
79.2 pts above England England: 20.8%
School 100.0%
Maidstone 20.0%
South East 21.1%
England 20.8%
SEN support 0.0% 0 pupils
England 14.8% 14.8 pts below
EHC plans 100.0% 355 pupils
England 6.0% 94.0 pts above
PRIMARY NEEDS

Most common identified needs

Pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder 328
Social, emotional & mental health 11
Speech, language & communication 10
Moderate learning difficulty 3
Other difficulty or disability 2
Specific learning difficulty 1

SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Key stage 4 outcomes

Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.

2024/25
ATTAINMENT 8

Average attainment score

16.5 22.7 pts below England
School 16.5
Maidstone 43.9
South East 38.5
England 39.2
English & maths grade 5+ 4.4% England 36.0% 31.6 pts below England
English & maths grade 4+ 8.9% England 51.4% 42.5 pts below England
EBacc entry 0.0% England 30.6% 30.6 pts below England
EBacc average point score 1.40 England 3.41
Progress 8 Not available for 2024/25

Latest published: -1.70 · 2023/24

Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.

ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE

Attendance profile

Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.

2024/25
ABSENCE RATE

Overall absence

17.36%

Percentage of possible sessions missed.

11.15 pts higher than England
School 17.36%
Maidstone 6.60%
South East 6.30%
England 6.22%
ABSENCE RATE

Persistent absence

39.87%

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

24.05 pts higher than England
School 39.87%
Maidstone 17.53%
South East 15.75%
England 15.82%
ABSENCE RATE

Severe absence

12.42%

Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.

10.61 pts higher than England
School 12.42%
Maidstone 2.03%
South East 1.93%
England 1.80%
Council, regional and national comparisons are averages of published school-level percentages rather than pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

School context

Comparison with open not applicable schools.

CAPACITY

Capacity utilisation

95.4% 15.6 pts above England
Leigh Academy Snowfields
95.4%
Maidstone
73.7%
South East
79.9%
England
79.8%
Benchmarks use open schools in the same phase. Capacity utilisation is calculated from published pupil and capacity figures.
Sources: Department for Education · Get Information about Schools · Ofsted monthly management information