Leek High School
similar schools
Leek High School is a converter academy in Leek for boys and girls aged 13 to 18. It has 261 pupils and room for 665. About 31 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 9 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 21% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was requires improvement, back in 2024.
Springfield Road, Leek, ST13 6EU01538 225050lhs.ttlt.org.ukMiss Susan Atkinson headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 5 June 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Requires improvement overall.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
73 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Staffordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 73 | 90 | 77 | 104 | 93 | 114 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 38.1 | 31.0 | 32.1 | 43.3 | 34.8 | 34.5 | 44.0 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | -1.10 | -0.91 | -0.49 | -0.56 | -0.30 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 26% | 19% | 19% | 40% | 25% | 27% | 38% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 51% | 34% | 43% | 69% | 48% | 50% | 61% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 3.16 | 2.68 | 2.52 | 3.55 | 2.80 | 2.79 | 3.77 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 1% | 6% | 0% | 5% | 3% | 13% | 32% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 31.8 | 21.5 | 28.8 | 38.5 | 21.7 | 21.8 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 40.0 | 34.4 | 33.4 | 44.7 | 39.7 | 39.0 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 18.6 | 19.9 | 25.6 | 16.4 | 20.4 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 50.5 | 45.0 | 64.9 | 50.6 | 58.1 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 9 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.
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Design & Technology (20% here, 50% across England), English Literature (30% here, 58% across England), Food Preparation & Nutrition (25% here, 52% across England), English Language (33% here, 54% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 73 | 12% | 40% | 67% | 53% | 2,467 of 3,211 |
| English Literature | 73 | 3% | 30% | 44% | 58% | 3,072 of 3,202 |
| English Language | 73 | 8% | 33% | 53% | 54% | 2,930 of 3,210 |
| Combined Science | 73 | 4% | 22% | 43% | 36% | 2,486 of 3,084 |
| History | 39 | 13% | 46% | 54% | 52% | 1,855 of 3,126 |
| Geography | 26 | 8% | 46% | 58% | 51% | 1,666 of 3,116 |
| Food Preparation & Nutrition | 16 | 0% | 25% | 44% | 52% | – |
| Design & Technology | 15 | 0% | 20% | 33% | 50% | – |
| Social Studies | 12 | 0% | 8% | 8% | 54% | – |
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, 2025
7 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 7 | 28 | 34 | 39 | 64 | 66 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | – | 26.91 | 19.03 | 22.50 | 17.98 | 23.99 |
| Average A level grade | – | C- | D | D+ | D- | D+ |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | – | 27.17 | 16.67 | 25.00 | 16.67 | 22.73 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | – | 15% | 6% | 7% | 0% | 9% |
| A level progressA level value added | – | -0.29 | – | – | -0.57 | -0.40 |
| Applied general courses: points per entry | – | – | 31.15 | 28.20 | – | – |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | – | 87% | 86% | 79% | 71% | 88% |
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. Every gap at this school 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
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.
410 places were empty (62% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 25% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Staffordshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
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.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (20), language and communications needs (8), emotional and mental health (7), Autistic spectrum disorder (4), Specific learning difficulty (3), Hearing impairment (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 261 | 253 | 275 | 317 | 344 | 352 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 31% | 27% | 25% | 23% | 24% | 21% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 3% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 1% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 13% | 11% | 10% | 7% | 9% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 2% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 3.3% | 5.0% | 8.8% | 13.4% | 7.4% | 7.6% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 1.6% | 2.9% | 6.0% | 9.1% | 5.0% | 5.3% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.7% | 2.1% | 2.8% | 4.3% | 2.4% | 2.4% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 5.3% | 12.3% | 23.2% | 41.1% | 23.2% | 19.9% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 28.1 | 40.7 | 59.0 | 42.2 | 11.9 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 77 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 73%, compared with 84% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 81% | 89% | 90% | 92% |
| Education | 68% | 76% | 74% | 82% |
| Apprenticeship | 8% | 9% | 7% | 7% |
| Work | 5% | 4% | 9% | 2% |
| Not in education, work or training | 12% | 7% | 8% | 6% |
After sixth form
Where the 30 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 71%, compared with 83% for everyone else.
Where the ones heading for university went
Among students from low-income families, 71% went on to degree-level study or training.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 80% | 92% | 85% | – |
| Education | 40% | 47% | 50% | – |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 11% | 0% | 0% |
| Work | 33% | 34% | 35% | – |
| Not in education, work or training | 17% | 3% | 8% | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
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.
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
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Churnet View Middle School | Academy | 950 m | 440 | Not inspected | 13 | Compare |
| St Edward's Church of England Academy | Academy | 1.4 miles | 662 | No overall grade 2024 | 61 | Compare |
| Westwood College | Academy | 1.8 miles | 735 | Requires improvement 2024 | 20 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Leek High School with the 45 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 45 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 45 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Leek High School, 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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodhouse Academy | Academy | 6.5 miles | 402 | Good 2023 | 73 | Compare |
| The Cheadle Academy | Academy | 8.7 miles | 380 | Not inspected | 22 | Compare |
| Kidsgrove Secondary School | Academy | 9.3 miles | 394 | Good 2023 | 21 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 9 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 9% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 6 to 14. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | well below | -0.25 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 73 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | well below | -0.43 | Ofsted grade, 2.3 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | well below | -0.36 | DfE progress measure; 73 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well above | +0.13 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well above | +0.14 | 2024/25; 264 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | below | -0.07 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 73 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | well below | -0.07 | 77 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | 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 Leek High School a good school?
The figures are weak. Leek High School scores 9 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 21% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 6 to 14, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Leek High School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Leek High School requires improvement at its last full inspection on 5 June 2024.
How good are Leek High School's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 26% 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 38.1, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How many pupils does Leek High School have?
261 pupils aged 13 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 665 places, so it is 39% full.
Is Leek High School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 410 places were empty in 2024/25 (62% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Leek High School?
Pupils were in school 96.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 5% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Leek High School?
The average class had 22.4 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 9% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Leek High School have a sixth form?
Yes.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Springfield Road, Leek, ST13 6EU
- Telephone
- 01538 225050
- Website
- lhs.ttlt.org.uk
- Headteacher
- Miss Susan Atkinson
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Secondary school, ages 13-18, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- The Talentum Learning Trust (9 schools)
- Local authority
- Staffordshire
- Ward
- Leek East
- Constituency
- Staffordshire Moorlands
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 April 2016 (academy converter)
- URN
- 142711 · LAESTAB 8604085 · UKPRN 10056065
- Formerly
- Leek High Specialist Technology School
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.