Ofsted: Outstanding trending_up High Demand emoji_events #2 in Kent public Top 8% UK

Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard

verifiedData: DfE & Ofsted 2024/25

personMrs Julie Forsythe

corporate_fareLEIGH ACADEMIES TRUST

location_onEbbsfleet, DA10 1AD

language Visit Website phone 1322242011

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2021

groups

Students

446

school

Expected Standard

83%

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Demand Ratio

2.2x

summarize

Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Ebbsfleet, serving ages 2-11. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade. Highly competitive: 2.2× more applications than places — plan well ahead. Ranks in the top 8% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard is an academy sponsor led in Ebbsfleet, Kent, admitting pupils aged 2-11. It is part of LEIGH ACADEMIES TRUST. The school has approximately 449 pupils on roll, of whom 17% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 83% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 29% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #2 of 424 primaries in Kent and #95 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2021. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Outstanding, behaviour and attitudes Outstanding, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Outstanding.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 2.2× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 32.9:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.2 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: Department for Education 2024/25, Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

83%

LA 61%

Reading88% LA 74%

Writing85% LA 72%

Maths88% LA 70%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

109

GPS SS

108

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

82%

LA 60%England 61%

Reading88% LA 75% · Eng 74%

Writing95% LA 73% · Eng 72%

Maths87% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

109

GPS SS

109

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

78%

LA 58%England 60%

Reading85% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing83% LA 72% · Eng 71%

Maths87% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

108

GPS SS

108

Progress (0 = national avg)

2.2

Read

LA -0.4

0.6 to 3.9

2.2

Write

LA -0.2

0.6 to 3.7

3.3

Maths

LA -1.2

1.8 to 4.9

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 67%England 65%

Reading-% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Writing-% LA 81% · Eng 78%

Maths-% LA 77% · Eng 79%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

LA 0.0

Write

LA 0.1

Maths

LA -0.6

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 65%

Reading-% LA 76%

Writing-% LA 80%

Maths-% LA 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

LA 0.0

Write

LA 0.4

Maths

LA -0.5

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

09 November 2021

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

1 Evaluations

2021-11-09

Academy First Section 5 EIF

Outstanding

Education

Outstanding

Behaviour

Outstanding

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

1.6%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.4%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 449 pupils. During this period, there were 7 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.6%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	449	7	1.6%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	449	4	0.9%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	450	2	0.4%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	452	1	0.2%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	451	1	0.2%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	446	2	0.4%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	446	1	0.2%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	446	0	0.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	441	1	0.2%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	443	1	0.2%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	442	0	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	374	2	0.5%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	370	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	361	6	1.7%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	296	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	296	3	1.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	281	1	0.4%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	201	6	3.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	192	4	2.1%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	181	3	1.7%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	97	4	4.1%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	86	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	73	1	1.4%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 30 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 15 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 10 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Physical Disability 2 pupils