Leigh Academy Halley has received an incredible Ofsted report that recognises “exceptional” practice across FIVE key areas of academy life. Leigh Academy Halley was one of the first schools to be inspected under the new Ofsted Toolkit and this judgement recognises the academy as a national centre of excellence.
Inspectors awarded the rare exceptional judgement in attendance and behaviour, inclusion, leadership and governance, personal development and well-being, and post-16 provision.
Inspectors stated that leaders’ work “has a phenomenal impact on pupils’ lives”. They reported that pupils “achieve, thrive and feel a deep sense of belonging”.
A calm, orderly academy where pupils attend well
Ofsted found that “the warm ethos and the well-thought-out curriculum ensure that pupils want to attend school each day”, with “all groups of pupils [attending] well”, including disadvantaged students and those with special education needs. Inspectors also praised how staff tackle barriers to attendance, noting that leaders and staff are “experts in identifying barriers to attendance” and “exceedingly successful in removing them”.
On behaviour, the report describes a consistent culture across the site. Inspectors wrote, “Around the school, conduct is considerate, purposeful and calm.” They added, “Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary.”
Inclusion that changes lives
Ofsted described Halley as “an exceptionally inclusive school” where “all pupils are welcome, and all are catered for extremely well”. Inspectors concluded that this approach has “a transformational impact on the extent to which all pupils succeed personally and academically during their time at the school and beyond.”
The report recognises that many pupils join at different points in the year and may arrive with gaps in learning, limited English, or additional needs, including autism. Inspectors highlight the academy’s careful, tailored support and strong relationships with parents and carers.
Pupils feel safe and supported
Safeguarding standards were met. The report states that leaders have “established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility” and that “pupils are made safer and feel safe.”
Bullying was described as very rare. Inspectors wrote, “Poor behaviour, including bullying, is very rare and dealt with effectively by the school’s leaders and staff should it arise.”
The report also describes how pupils are known well, referencing the “small school” system and the impact it has on belonging.
Strong personal development and post-16 support
Ofsted found the personal development offer to be “of extremely high quality” and said the academy’s success in developing pupils’ character is “remarkable”. Inspectors also noted that post-16 provision “has a transformational impact on preparing students for their next stage and their adult lives”.
Ben Russell, Principal of Leigh Academy Halley, said:
“We could not be more delighted with our published Ofsted report. Inspectors recognised that our calm, purposeful Academy, built on strong relationships, and consistently high expectations, provides the best education to our students. This report is a powerful reflection of the exceptional work of our staff and governors, whose commitment and care ensure that pupils feel safe, attendance is significantly above national averages, behaviour supports learning, and inclusion runs through everything we do.Our community is richly and proudly diverse, and many pupils join us at different points in the year. Through our ambitious IB curriculum and our ‘small school’ model, excellent teaching combined with strong pastoral care, and clear, fair systems, mean that every student is known well, supported with compassion and challenged to succeed. I am immensely proud of our staff and deeply grateful to our families for the trust and partnership they place in us. This report recognises that shared endeavour, giving families and our local community confidence that Leigh Academy Halley is a place where young people are cared for, challenged and enabled to flourish.”
Simon Beamish, CEO of Leigh Academies Trust, said:
“When Halley joined the Trust in 2018, it faced low confidence from families, weaker routines, and behaviour that disrupted learning too often. Staff were working hard, but pupils did not get the consistency and stability they needed. We reset expectations, built a calm and orderly culture, and put inclusion at the centre of every decision. We backed that up with strong teaching, strong pastoral systems, and clear accountability, day in and day out. The Ofsted team saw the impact of that work. Pupils behave well, bullying is rare, and pupils feel a deep sense of belonging. Inspectors were clear that leadership has a phenomenal impact on pupils’ lives, and that is what this academy now delivers for its community.”
