Leigh Academy Halley
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Leigh Academy Halley is a sponsored academy in London for boys and girls aged 11 to 19. It has 987 pupils and room for 1,100. About 40 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 83 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 96% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in November 2025 and gave it a report card, which is below.
Corelli Road, London, SE3 8EP020 8856 2828thehalleyacademy.org.ukMiss Debra Watling headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted visited on 11 November 2025. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.
Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 21 June 2022 | Academy First Section 5 | Good |
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
129 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† | Greenwich | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 129 | 140 | 154 | 176 | 188 | 164 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 48.4 | 44.6 | 43.9 | 41.4 | 33.0 | 31.4 | 48.7 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | +0.09 | +0.05 | -0.28 | -1.06 | -1.11 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 44% | 41% | 40% | 36% | 15% | 17% | 49% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 66% | 69% | 58% | 53% | 33% | 36% | 67% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 4.72 | 4.34 | 4.04 | 3.67 | 2.97 | 2.76 | 4.41 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 81% | 65% | 46% | 24% | 48% | 55% | 52% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 43.1 | 38.5 | 39.6 | 41.5 | 30.5 | 29.2 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 50.7 | 48.0 | 46.3 | 41.4 | 35.3 | 33.5 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 32.3 | 30.3 | 27.7 | 21.2 | 15.6 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 59.2 | 62.8 | 58.2 | 43.2 | 48.7 | – | – |
† These results are for Corelli College, the school this one replaced in March 2018. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Subjects
Results came out for 15 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
Subjects that did worse than the England average: French (39% here, 60% across England), Physics (69% here, 82% across England), Art and Design (48% here, 58% 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 | 129 | 16% | 47% | 68% | 53% | 1,900 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 129 | 23% | 56% | 71% | 54% | 1,292 of 3,210 |
| English Literature | 125 | 30% | 68% | 85% | 58% | 736 of 3,202 |
| Combined Science | 103 | 18% | 42% | 63% | 36% | 995 of 3,084 |
| History | 74 | 28% | 53% | 61% | 52% | 1,394 of 3,126 |
| Geography | 67 | 19% | 46% | 66% | 51% | 1,650 of 3,116 |
| French | 54 | 15% | 39% | 48% | 60% | 1,653 of 1,974 |
| Spanish | 51 | 26% | 63% | 78% | 54% | 700 of 1,941 |
| Social Studies | 29 | 35% | 69% | 76% | 54% | 226 of 1,043 |
| Physics | 26 | 23% | 69% | 81% | 82% | 1,974 of 2,546 |
| Chemistry | 26 | 15% | 73% | 89% | 81% | 1,847 of 2,537 |
| Biology | 26 | 31% | 81% | 89% | 82% | 1,600 of 2,570 |
| Art and Design | 21 | 14% | 48% | 76% | 58% | 1,941 of 2,818 |
| Other Modern Languages | 12 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 49% | – |
| Food Preparation & Nutrition | 11 | 9% | 82% | 91% | 52% | – |
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
49 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 49 | 65 | 65 | 86 | 111 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | – | – | – | 15.00 | 26.94 |
| Average A level grade | z | z | z | D- | C- |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | – | – | – | – | 29.58 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | – | – | – | – | 0% |
| A level progressA level value added | – | – | – | – | +0.03 |
| Applied general courses: points per entry | 23.87 | 24.15 | 22.35 | 22.24 | – |
| T levels: points per entry | 25.56 | 30.18 | 31.59 | 32.58 | – |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | – | – | – | – | 100% |
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. 2 of the 3 gaps are 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
Admissions policy not published.
520 places were empty (35% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 7% since 2021/22.
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 Greenwich council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
What parents say
From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 40 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for secondary schools with enough answers to publish.
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.
Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 15 pupils, for autism.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Greenwich with autism provision.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (53), language and communications needs (32), Specific learning difficulty (26), Other difficulty or disability (24), emotional and mental health (21), Moderate learning difficulty (7).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 987 | 952 | 901 | 876 | 895 | 914 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 38% | 36% | 37% | 35% | 31% | 26% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 33% | 37% | 38% | 45% | 47% | 47% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 13% | 13% | 13% | 12% | 10% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 4% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 3% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.4% 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 | 6.6% | 7.8% | 8.2% | 7.6% | 5.9% | 6.7% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.2% | 3.3% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 2.8% | 3.1% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 3.4% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 3.6% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 20.8% | 24.0% | 25.5% | 23.1% | 17.4% | 18.5% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 6.9 | 12.2 | 15.8 | 13.2 | 5.8 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 154 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 93%, compared with 93% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 93% | 90% | 93% | 90% |
| Education | 92% | 88% | 90% | 86% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 1% | 1% | – |
| Work | 1% | 1% | 2% | 3% |
| Not in education, work or training | 5% | 7% | 4% | 9% |
After sixth form
Where the 61 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 68%, compared with 69% for everyone else.
Where the ones heading for university went
Among students from low-income families, 57% 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 | 69% | 71% | 74% | – |
| Education | 41% | 49% | 55% | – |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 1% | 4% | 3% |
| Work | 25% | 21% | 14% | – |
| Not in education, work or training | 15% | 17% | 16% | – |
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ark Greenwich Free School | Free school | 870 m | 615 | Outstanding 2023 | 98 | Compare |
| Thomas Tallis School | Council | 0.7 miles | 2,092 | Good 2024 | 39 | Compare |
| Leigh Academy Blackheath | Free school | 0.8 miles | 1,060 | Outstanding 2022 | 90 | Compare |
| Harris Academy Greenwich | Academy | 1.2 miles | 1,138 | Outstanding 2022 | 79 | Compare |
| Eltham Hill School | Council | 1.3 miles | 1,350 | Good 2024 | 69 | Compare |
| The John Roan School | Academy | 1.5 miles | 1,112 | Good 2023 | 36 | Compare |
| Royal Greenwich Trust School | Free school | 1.6 miles | 871 | Good 2022 | 19 | Compare |
| St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive School | Academy | 1.7 miles | 637 | Good 2022 | 86 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Leigh Academy Halley 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.
No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 83 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 83% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 77 to 87. 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% | in line | -0.04 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 129 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | well above | +0.30 | Ofsted report card, 0.8 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | +0.00 | DfE progress measure; 129 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well above | +0.20 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.05 | 2024/25; 900 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | above | +0.09 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 129 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | in line | +0.01 | 154 pupils |
| What parents say | 5% | above | +0.02 | Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 40 responses |
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 Leigh Academy Halley a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. Leigh Academy Halley scores 83 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 96% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 77 to 87, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.
What is Leigh Academy Halley's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 11 November 2025 it rated teaching as strong, achievement as strong, behaviour and attendance as exceptional, leadership as exceptional.
How good are Leigh Academy Halley's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 44% 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 48.4, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about level with children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How many pupils does Leigh Academy Halley have?
987 pupils aged 11 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,100 places, so it is 90% full.
Is Leigh Academy Halley oversubscribed?
Probably not. 520 places were empty in 2024/25 (35% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Leigh Academy Halley?
Pupils were in school 93.4% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 21% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
What do parents say about Leigh Academy Halley?
85% of the 40 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 78% say their child is happy there. Across England, 77% of parents would recommend their child's school.
How big are the classes at Leigh Academy Halley?
The average class had 21.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 22% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Leigh Academy Halley have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for autism. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
Does Leigh Academy Halley have a sixth form?
Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was z.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Corelli Road, London, SE3 8EP
- Telephone
- 020 8856 2828
- Website
- www.thehalleyacademy.org.uk
- Headteacher
- Miss Debra Watling
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- Secondary school, ages 11-19, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- None
- Multi-academy trust
- Leigh Academies Trust (33 schools)
- Local authority
- Greenwich
- Ward
- Kidbrooke Park
- Constituency
- Eltham and Chislehurst
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 March 2018 (fresh start)
- URN
- 145315 · LAESTAB 2034007 · UKPRN 10066521
- Formerly
- Corelli College
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.