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Leigh Academies Trust is delighted to announce that Leigh Academy Bexley, formerly King Henry School, has been judged Strong for both inclusion and leadership and governance in its recent Ofsted inspection and Expected in all other areas. The inspection took place on 12 May 2026, less than three years after the academy joined Leigh Academies Trust (LAT) in June 2023 having been judged to require Special Measures.
The judgments are all the more notable given the academy’s starting point; for several years beforehand, standards were too low, with attendance and pupil outcomes below the national average. The academy serves a diverse community, with almost half of pupils eligible for free school meals, significantly above the national average, and around one in five receiving special educational needs support. Ofsted recognised the academy’s strong culture of inclusion and the positive impact of leaders’ work to ensure every pupil can succeed.
Since joining the LAT, attendance has improved, persistent absence has fallen significantly, and GCSE outcomes have risen. In the sixth form, students now make progress in line with the national average. Inspectors found that these improvements are being sustained and that leaders’ actions continue to drive rapid progress.
Commenting on the inspection, Principal John Dixon said,
“I am extremely proud of this report and of everyone who has contributed to it. Inspectors saw what we see every day: a warm, welcoming academy where every pupil belongs and where staff go above and beyond to remove barriers to success. My thanks go to our staff, our pupils, and our parents and carers, who have backed us at every step of our improvement. This report confirms how far we have come, and we are ambitious for what comes next.”
The Ofsted report praised the academy’s inclusive community, noting that pupils feel a real sense of belonging. Inspectors found that leaders and staff know pupils and their individual needs very well, that support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities is accurate and effective, and that the academy’s new specially resourced provision for pupils with autism is very well catered for through close work with external experts.
Leadership was also highlighted. Inspectors found that Trust and academy leaders identified what needed improvement, prioritised the most urgent areas, and that their actions are resulting in rapid progress across all areas of the academy’s work. Staff told inspectors they are proud to work at the academy and appreciate how leaders support their workload and wellbeing.
The report also recognised the calm and orderly environment that leaders have established. Pupils behave very well in lessons and at social times, and pupils themselves described behaviour as “much better now”. Inspectors noted improving outcomes in national examinations, a broad and ambitious curriculum, and a comprehensive careers programme that prepares pupils well for their next steps. Pupils and sixth-form students described feeling happy, safe and proud of their academy.
Commenting on the inspection, Simon Beamish, Chief Executive of Leigh Academies Trust, said,
“This report tells the story of a genuine transformation. Leigh Academy Bexley joined the Trust in June 2023 in Special Measures and in less than three years its staff and pupils have changed the culture of the school. To be judged Strong for Inclusion and for Leadership and Governance and Expected for all other areas, in a community facing real challenges, is a testament to the dedication and commitment of everyone involved. The whole academy community should be very proud indeed.”
The full Ofsted report can be found here and will be published on the official Ofsted report website in the coming days.
For more information about Leigh Academy Bexley, please visit https://leighacademybexley.org.uk/
Education for a better world
About us
Leigh Academies Trust is a non-profit-making charitable company, based in Strood, Medway. The Trust exists to support and assist academies to build upon their existing strengths and to help them achieve improvements in order to deliver education for a better world. We operate 33 academies along the South Thames Corridor. Our clusters contain all phases of education, from nursery to post-16. Each one has a passionate commitment to inclusion. The Trust was formed in 2008 with the linking of the Leigh Technology Academy and Longfield Academy under one governing body. It now encompasses over 25,000 students between the ages of 2 and 19 and we employ over 3,000 staff across the South East. For more information go to, http://www.leighacademiestrust.org.uk/
