School Chooser

Leighswood School

Primary · ages 2-11MixedCouncil442 pupilsNurseryWalsall
School Chooser Score
36
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 21 to 54, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 63% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, March 2025
Reached the expected level at 1164%England 63%
Attendance93.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families32%A bit more than most schools
Places38 spare442 pupils, 480 places
Pupils per teacher19.7School workforce census

Leighswood School is a council school in Walsall for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 442 pupils and room for 480. About 32 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 36 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 63% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Broadmeadow, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 8HZ01922 743621leighswood.walsall.sch.ukMr James Pearce headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 18 March 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

69 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1164%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level4%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 61%61%20172018: 63%63%20182019: 68%68%20192023: 46%46%20232024: 68%68%20242025: 64%64%2025
Since 2017: +3%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017WalsallEngland
Pupils tested697774786576
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths64%68%46%68%63%61%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths4%6%7%8%17%8%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0104.0102.0104.0105.0103.0105.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0104.0103.0106.0104.0103.0104.3104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0105.0101.0106.0105.0105.0105.7105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard72%79%59%74%75%68%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard72%82%61%82%71%71%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)78%83%72%90%94%88%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.6+0.0+0.3-0.8
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.9+0.9-0.5-1.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged54%45%26%59%44%40%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged71%76%63%70%70%66%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

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. 3 of the 4 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 the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
54%71%
Gap 17 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
57%68%
Gap 11 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
67%64%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
4%4%
No gapEngland 5 pts
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

Admissions policy not published.

A few spare places417 pupils for 451 places, 2024/25
93% full

About 34 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 17% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (47 offers for 60 places). 40 families put it down as their first choice and 40 of them got in (100%).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeFirst choices who got inHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary60407147100%all offeredLA

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 roll442Census January 2026
Places48092% full
Pupils from low-income families29%32% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English3%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support15%66 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%20 pupils with a plan
Average class size23.417 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils6%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)31%£193,750 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls237 / 205
White British pupils80%

Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 0 pupils, for speech, language and communication.

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 Walsall with speech, language and communication provision.

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 26.2 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.6 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Specific learning difficulty (30), language and communications needs (30), emotional and mental health (17), Moderate learning difficulty (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll442475511543562566
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals29%27%28%29%28%25%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language3%4%4%4%3%4%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support13%13%18%15%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%4%2%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school16.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils2.12024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.5%6.5%7.0%7.3%5.3%3.8%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.6%3.5%3.4%3.9%3.5%2.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.9%3.0%3.6%3.4%1.8%1.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence16.7%17.2%20.2%22.4%13.8%8.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate2.10.82.61.80.5
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers21.4full-time equivalent, 25 people
Pupils per teacher19.7Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants22.9full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,095
Teachers who left in the year32%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher10.62024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,233England £7,738. Total £3.2m
Income per pupil£7,422England £7,697. Total £3.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,082England £3,480
Money in reserve8%Not much put by: £260k, £579 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£85kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,233spent 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 m13312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate78 per 1,000 people14% lower than the England average
Typical house price£221,288Walsall

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 primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England0.6 miles478Good 202452Compare
St Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic0.9 miles239Good 202482Compare
Castlefort AcademyAcademy1.0 miles225No overall grade 2025Compare
St John's Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England1.1 miles340Good 202351Compare
Whetstone Field Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles229Good 202347Compare
Radleys Primary SchoolCouncil1.3 miles223Good 202012Compare
Walsall Wood SchoolAcademy1.4 miles231Good 202288Compare
St Francis Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic1.5 miles207Good 202265Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Leighswood School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats63%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 36 is 10 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 4 · middle 26 · highest 81100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Leighswood 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.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Moat Hall Primary AcademyAcademy5.5 miles359No overall grade 202551Compare
Cofton Primary SchoolFoundation15.5 miles408Good 202042Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 36 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 36% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 21 to 54. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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 years25%in line
-0.08
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 69 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 1.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.11
DfE progress measure; 69 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.09
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.07
2024/25; 378 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.01
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 69 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 Leighswood School a good school?

It is about average. Leighswood School scores 36 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 63% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 21 to 54, 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 Leighswood School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Leighswood School not judged at its last full inspection on 18 March 2025.

How good are Leighswood School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 64% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Leighswood School have?

442 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 480 places, so it is 92% full.

Is Leighswood School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 34 places were empty in 2024/25 (8% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Leighswood School?

Pupils were in school 93.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 17% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Leighswood School?

The average class had 23.4 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 6% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Leighswood School have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for speech, language and communication. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Broadmeadow, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 8HZ
Telephone
01922 743621
Website
www.leighswood.walsall.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr James Pearce
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Walsall
Ward
Aldridge Central and South
Constituency
Aldridge-Brownhills
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 1998
URN
131433 · LAESTAB 3352245 · UKPRN 10069481
Formerly
Leighswood Junior School, Leighswood Infant School

Where these figures come from