School Chooser

Leeds West Academy

Secondary · ages 11-16MixedAcademy1,432 pupilsLeeds
School Chooser Score
17
Below
similar schools
Likely range 12 to 22
Out of 100. Better than 42% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
Strong pass in English and maths38%England 46%
Attendance86.9%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families42%Far more than most schools
Places68 spare1,432 pupils, 1,500 places
Pupils per teacher13.8School workforce census
Average A level gradeD+2018/19

Leeds West Academy is a sponsored academy in Leeds for boys and girls aged 11 to 16. It has 1,432 pupils and room for 1,500. About 42 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 17 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 42% of the 50 schools most like it.

Intake Lane, Rodley, Leeds, LS13 1DQ0113 229 5454leedswestacademy.org.ukMr Dan Whieldon principalAll details

Ofsted

Ofsted hasn't published an inspection for this school yet.

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

282 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score41.7
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths38%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths61%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.30In each subject, pupils here finished about half a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 40.540.520182019: 42.242.220192022: 42.642.620222023: 39.039.020232024: 38.638.620242025: 41.741.72025
Since 2018: +1.2Steady overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018LeedsEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11282247257241200216
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 841.738.639.042.642.240.545.846.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.30-0.25-0.21-0.05-0.22
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths38%32%35%45%38%26%46%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths61%49%53%62%54%48%65%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score3.483.183.203.563.523.274.124.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry14%9%10%15%25%30%50%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged30.429.330.937.335.636.1
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged48.046.545.446.149.244.3
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers23.522.628.521.224.4
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers64.260.369.458.054.0

Subjects

Results came out for 19 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

Physical Education75%grades 9 to 5, England 56% · 357th of 1,559 schools
Social Studies72%grades 9 to 5, England 54% · 173rd of 1,043 schools
Biology94%grades 9 to 5, England 82%

Subjects that did worse than the England average: English Language (34% here, 54% across England), Statistics (33% here, 51% across England), Spanish (38% here, 54% across England), History (36% here, 52% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, computer science.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics281 entries · 23rd of 43 in Leeds
51%England 53%
English Language281 entries · 37th of 43 in Leeds
34%England 54%
English Literature279 entries · 37th of 43 in Leeds
42%England 58%
Statistics275 entries · 5th of 6 in Leeds
33%England 51%
Combined Science265 entries · 26th of 41 in Leeds
37%England 36%
Geography128 entries · 23rd of 40 in Leeds
46%England 51%
History127 entries · 34th of 40 in Leeds
36%England 52%
Art and Design79 entries · 24th of 40 in Leeds
58%England 58%
Physical Education32 entries · 5th of 19 in Leeds
75%England 56%
Spanish29 entries · 27th of 35 in Leeds
38%England 54%
Social Studies29 entries · 4th of 18 in Leeds
72%England 54%
Drama24 entries · 9th of 14 in Leeds
54%England 60%
41%England 56%
Biology16 entries
94%England 82%
Chemistry15 entries
80%England 81%
Physics15 entries
67%England 82%
0%England 49%
Other Sciences10 entries
20%England 67%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics28115%51%71%53%1,574 of 3,211
English Language2819%34%56%54%2,870 of 3,210
English Literature2796%42%63%58%2,576 of 3,202
Statistics27510%33%53%51%290 of 375
Combined Science2659%37%57%36%1,317 of 3,084
Geography12811%46%62%51%1,673 of 3,116
History12713%36%52%52%2,468 of 3,126
Art and Design7913%58%77%58%1,442 of 2,818
Physical Education329%75%97%56%357 of 1,559
Spanish2921%38%83%54%1,521 of 1,941
Social Studies2917%72%76%54%173 of 1,043
Drama2425%54%71%60%558 of 844
Computer Science1729%41%77%56%
Biology1656%94%94%82%
Chemistry1560%80%100%81%
Physics1533%67%93%82%
Other Modern Languages110%0%0%49%
Other Sciences100%20%60%67%
Dance813%63%63%58%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2019

68 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeD+22.3 points per entry
A level progress-0.69Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better0%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished91%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure2019201820172016
Students68174199167
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry22.2925.6326.9423.82
Average A level gradeD+C-C-D+
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS24.1732.1429.0927.46
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects0%14%14%0%
A level progressA level value added-0.69+0.05-0.04+0.09
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed91%70%81%

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
30.448.0
Gap 17.6England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
21%48%
Gap 27 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
39.743.4
Gap 3.7England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test.

Plenty of spare places1,435 pupils for 1,737 places, 2024/25
83% full

302 places were empty (17% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 6% since 2021/22.

How places were given out for September 2026.

EntryHow far the last child livedSource
2026 SecondaryLA
2025 SecondaryLA
2024 SecondaryLA
2023 SecondaryLA
2022 SecondaryLA
2021 SecondaryLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll1,432Census January 2026
Places1,50095% full
Pupils from low-income families43%42% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English9%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support20%286 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%21 pupils with a plan
Average class size21.960 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils2%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)43%£686,400 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls672 / 760
White British pupils82%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (93), emotional and mental health (71), language and communications needs (48), Autistic spectrum disorder (45), Specific learning difficulty (33), Hearing impairment (8).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,4321,4501,4341,4071,3601,291
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals43%41%40%39%37%34%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language9%7%7%6%7%6%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support20%19%19%16%15%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans1%1%0%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 86.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance86.9%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school36.4%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils11.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission8.4%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence13.1%12.5%13.9%13.1%6.3%6.9%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.7%3.3%3.8%7.1%3.4%2.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence8.4%9.3%10.1%6.0%2.9%4.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence36.4%36.2%38.1%37.7%19.3%19.1%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate11.016.024.621.07.2
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00010

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 257 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training82%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 71%, compared with 92% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training82%84%88%85%
Education75%77%77%76%
Apprenticeship5%5%8%6%
Work3%3%4%3%
Not in education, work or training9%11%9%13%

After sixth form

Where the 77 pupils who left in 2016/17 were a year later.

Still in education, work or trainingand stayed there for at least six months

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training57%England 69%
Top-third universities10%England 24%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship0%England 1%
Higher technical course3%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 34% went on to degree-level study or training and 10% to a top-third university.

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers103.5full-time equivalent, 109 people
Pupils per teacher13.8Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers93%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants18.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,118
Teachers who left in the year14%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher8.42024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,917England £7,965. Total £12m
Income per pupil£8,402England £8,423. Total £12m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,269England £4,444
Money in reserve5%Not much put by: £587k, £404 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£705kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,917spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m26812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate103 per 1,000 people13% higher than the England average
Typical house price£245,000Leeds
Nearest bus stop40 mLeeds West Academy, 14 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Pudsey Grammar SchoolFoundation1.1 miles1,358Good 202438Compare
Co-op Academy PriesthorpeAcademy1.4 miles1,013Good 202420Compare
Crawshaw AcademyAcademy1.5 miles1,052No overall grade 202413Compare
Horsforth SchoolAcademy2.0 miles1,837Good 202382Compare
Dixons Unity AcademyAcademy2.3 miles907Good 202414Compare
Abbey Grange Church of England AcademyAcademy2.3 miles1,576Report card 202688Compare
The Farnley AcademyAcademy2.5 miles1,492Outstanding 202384Compare
Laisterdyke Leadership AcademyAcademy2.8 miles889Good 202318Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Leeds West Academy with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats42%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 17 is 4 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 21 · highest 86100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Leeds West Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Cockburn SchoolAcademy5.4 miles1,248Outstanding 202286Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 17 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 17% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 12 to 22. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%below
-0.19
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 282 pupils
Ofsted inspection0%no data
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.16
DfE progress measure; 282 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.07
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.16
2024/25; 1,507 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.05
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 282 pupils
What pupils do next5%well below
-0.11
257 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Leeds West Academy a good school?

The figures are weak. Leeds West Academy scores 17 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 42% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 12 to 22, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

How good are Leeds West Academy's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 38% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 41.7, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about half a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Leeds West Academy have?

1,432 pupils aged 11 to 16 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,500 places, so it is 95% full.

Is Leeds West Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 302 places were empty in 2024/25 (17% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Leeds West Academy?

Pupils were in school 86.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 36% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Leeds West Academy?

The average class had 21.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 2% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Leeds West Academy have a sixth form?

No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship; 82% of 2022/23 leavers were still in education, work or training six months on.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Intake Lane, Rodley, Leeds, LS13 1DQ
Telephone
0113 229 5454
Website
www.leedswestacademy.org.uk
Principal
Mr Dan Whieldon
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-16
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
White Rose Academies Trust (4 schools)
Local authority
Leeds
Ward
Bramley & Stanningley
Constituency
Leeds West and Pudsey
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2009 (new provision)
URN
135935 · LAESTAB 3836906 · UKPRN 10027710
Formerly
Intake High School Arts College

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from