School Chooser

Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy

Secondary · ages 11-19MixedAcademy1,318 pupilsSixth formDartfordKent
School Chooser Score
51
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 42 to 61
Out of 100. Better than 70% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, April 2023
Strong pass in English and maths35%England 46%
Attendance92.0%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families29%About the same as most schools in England
Places182 spare1,318 pupils, 1,500 places
Pupils per teacher21.8School workforce census

Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy is a sponsored academy in Dartford for boys and girls aged 11 to 19. It has 1,318 pupils and room for 1,500. About 29 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 51 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 70% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Green Street Green Road, Dartford, DA1 1QE01322 620400sirgeoffreyleighacademy.org.ukMs Gurjit Kaur Shergill academy principalAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 26 April 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

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

Average GCSE score42.9
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths35%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths57%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11+0.14In each subject, pupils here finished a little ahead of 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: 41.341.320182019: 42.142.120192022: 44.844.820222023: 44.644.620232024: 44.544.520242025: 42.942.92025
Since 2018: +1.6Steady overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018KentEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11216211235231226222
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 842.944.544.644.842.141.347.846.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8+0.14+0.01-0.02-0.35-0.26
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths35%37%41%38%37%28%48%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths57%62%66%64%62%53%67%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score3.893.973.633.813.383.304.284.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry76%49%12%37%28%38%48%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged33.841.034.533.531.135.4
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged45.745.647.647.845.343.1
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers29.529.332.325.825.6
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers60.762.262.353.251.9

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

English Literature66%grades 9 to 5, England 58% · 852nd of 3,202 schools

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Chemistry (46% here, 81% across England), French (28% here, 60% across England), Geography (23% here, 51% across England), Business (31% here, 51% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, 2 languages, 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
Mathematics215 entries · 63rd of 101 in Kent
38%England 53%
English Literature215 entries · 36th of 100 in Kent
66%England 58%
English Language215 entries · 38th of 101 in Kent
54%England 54%
Combined Science191 entries · 50th of 87 in Kent
26%England 36%
French113 entries · 52nd of 65 in Kent
28%England 60%
Geography107 entries · 81st of 99 in Kent
23%England 51%
History101 entries · 44th of 98 in Kent
47%England 52%
Business84 entries · 32nd of 52 in Kent
31%England 51%
Spanish53 entries · 32nd of 64 in Kent
57%England 54%
Art and Design50 entries · 48th of 81 in Kent
52%England 58%
Computer Science47 entries · 34th of 55 in Kent
49%England 56%
Food Preparation & Nutrition33 entries · 21st of 30 in Kent
33%England 52%
Biology24 entries · 46th of 67 in Kent
63%England 82%
Chemistry24 entries · 52nd of 64 in Kent
46%England 81%
Physics24 entries · 45th of 64 in Kent
67%England 82%
Media / Film / TV22 entries · 11th of 13 in Kent
41%England 55%
21%England 50%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics21513%38%61%53%2,591 of 3,211
English Literature21528%66%78%58%852 of 3,202
English Language21520%54%66%54%1,386 of 3,210
Combined Science1917%26%46%36%2,173 of 3,084
French1135%28%35%60%1,836 of 1,974
Geography1076%23%32%51%2,877 of 3,116
History10125%47%57%52%1,833 of 3,126
Business846%31%42%51%1,461 of 1,806
Spanish5313%57%76%54%927 of 1,941
Art and Design504%52%78%58%1,745 of 2,818
Computer Science4711%49%60%56%1,091 of 1,861
Food Preparation & Nutrition3312%33%55%52%864 of 1,098
Biology2425%63%88%82%2,193 of 2,570
Chemistry2425%46%79%81%2,382 of 2,537
Physics2429%67%79%82%2,046 of 2,546
Media / Film / TV225%41%59%55%440 of 580
Design & Technology1414%21%43%50%
Other Modern Languages90%0%0%49%
Religious Studies825%75%88%60%

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

102 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeC28.4 points per entry
A level progress-0.59Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
Stayed and finished76%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students10291118111254235
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry28.3731.8427.6331.5718.6520.72
Average A level gradeCC+C-CDD
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS16.0921.44
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects0%0%
A level progressA level value added-0.59-0.15-0.41-0.54
Applied general courses: points per entry29.4331.6330.0231.92
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed76%86%92%94%86%81%

A level subjects

5 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsHistory14Mathematics13Photography5Graphics5Fine Art5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
History14 entries · 7% A* or A · 100% passed
21%England 55%
Mathematics13 entries · 8% A* or A · 85% passed
15%England 60%
Photography5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 58%
Graphics5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 65%
Fine Art5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 65%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

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

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
33.845.7
Gap 11.9England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
19%40%
Gap 21 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
41.045.4
Gap 4.4England 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.

A few spare places1,325 pupils for 1,553 places, 2024/25
85% full

About 228 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 4% 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 Kent 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.

Pupils on roll1,318Census January 2026
Places1,50088% full
Pupils from low-income families29%29% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English16%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%225 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%39 pupils with a plan
Average class size22.954 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils13%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)30%£390,500 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls769 / 549
White British pupils49%

Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 16 pupils, for hearing impairment, 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 Kent with hearing impairment provision.

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (81), Autistic spectrum disorder (51), language and communications needs (45), Specific learning difficulty (44), Moderate learning difficulty (29), Hearing impairment (6).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,3181,3351,3321,3591,3791,387
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals29%25%24%22%20%17%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language16%16%17%17%18%17%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support15%14%13%13%14%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%3%3%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance92.0%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school26.4%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils12.72024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission2.3%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence8.0%9.2%9.6%9.2%4.6%5.5%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.8%6.0%6.4%6.7%3.4%4.1%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.3%3.2%3.2%2.5%1.2%1.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence26.4%28.4%30.6%28.9%11.8%13.3%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate12.718.812.08.13.6
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions12000

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 235 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training91%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 78%, compared with 94% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training91%91%92%93%
Education85%85%84%89%
Apprenticeship3%2%3%3%
Work3%4%5%2%
Not in education, work or training7%6%6%6%

After sixth form

Where the 113 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training84%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 80%, compared with 85% for everyone else.

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training65%England 72%
Top-third universities8%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship5%England 6%
Higher technical course0%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 68% went on to degree-level study or training and 5% to a top-third university.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training84%85%89%
Education43%58%66%
Apprenticeship5%4%5%4%
Work35%23%18%
Not in education, work or training11%8%8%

Staff and money

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

Teachers60.4full-time equivalent, 64 people
Pupils per teacher21.8Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers98%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants17.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£58,987
Teachers who left in the year16%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies3
Sick days per teacher5.42024/25

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£6,527England £7,965. Total £8.8m
Income per pupil£8,237England £8,423. Total £11m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,372England £4,444
Money in reserve6%Not much put by: £684k, £506 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£2.3mit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,527spent 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 m22112 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate95 per 1,000 peopleabout the England average
Typical house price£370,000Dartford
Nearest bus stop30 mThe Leigh Academy, 12 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
Stone Lodge SchoolFree school0.9 miles1,139Good 202315Compare
Dartford Grammar SchoolAcademy (grammar)1.4 miles1,576Outstanding 202299Compare
Dartford Science & Technology CollegeFoundation1.4 miles857Report card 202652Compare
Dartford Grammar School for GirlsAcademy (grammar)1.5 miles1,257Report card 202698Compare
Leigh UTC DartfordUniversity technical college1.7 miles691Report card 202659Compare
Wilmington Grammar School for BoysAcademy (grammar)1.9 miles1,174Good 202389Compare
Wilmington Grammar School for GirlsAcademy (grammar)1.9 miles1,154Good 202291Compare
Leigh Academy WilmingtonAcademy1.9 miles1,386Outstanding 202378Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Sir Geoffrey Leigh 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.

Beats70%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 51 is 14 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 4 · middle 37 · highest 92100

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 Sir Geoffrey Leigh 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
Leigh Academy WilmingtonAcademy1.9 miles1,386Outstanding 202378Compare
Harris Academy FalconwoodAcademy6.5 miles1,295Good 201959Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 51 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 51% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 42 to 61. 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
-0.08
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 216 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.02
Ofsted grade, 3.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.03
DfE progress measure; 216 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
0.00
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.00
2024/25; 1,267 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.04
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 216 pupils
What pupils do next5%in line
0.00
235 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 Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy a good school?

It is about average. Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy scores 51 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 70% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 42 to 61, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy good at its last full inspection on 26 April 2023.

How good are Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 35% 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 42.9, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished a little ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy have?

1,318 pupils aged 11 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,500 places, so it is 88% full.

Is Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 228 places were empty in 2024/25 (15% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy?

Pupils were in school 92.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 26% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy?

The average class had 22.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 13% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy have specialist SEND provision?

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

Does Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C. 5 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

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

Contact and details

Address
Green Street Green Road, Dartford, DA1 1QE
Telephone
01322 620400
Website
www.sirgeoffreyleighacademy.org.uk
Academy Principal
Ms Gurjit Kaur Shergill
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-19, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Leigh Academies Trust (33 schools)
Local authority
Kent
Ward
Brent
Constituency
Dartford
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2007 (new provision)
URN
135297 · LAESTAB 8866910 · UKPRN 10021033
Formerly
The Leigh City Technology College

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from