Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to the new academic year. I hope that you have all had a lovely holiday and managed to enjoy the weather and have a break. This morning we have welcomed back all students in Years 7 to 11 and 13 and it has been lovely to see students and staff reconnecting. I am writing with a few updates as the year begins
Exam results 2022
We have had a busy summer at The Leigh Academy, in which we have received our highest ever set of examination results for both our Year 11 and Year 13 students, who deserve huge congratulations for their resilience and determination that has seen them through to great success despite the disrupted period of education they have faced over the last two years due to the pandemic. Thank you too, to all parents, carers and of course our Leigh staff for their commitment to ensuring these young people have the very best outcomes.
Year 11 Results
83% of Leigh students achieved a 4 or above in English, with 72% achieving a grade 5 or above. 66% of Leigh students achieved a 4 or above in Mathematics, with 41% achieving a grade 5 or above.
Languages continue to be very successful at The Leigh with 64% of students studying French achieving a grade 4 or above, and 87% of students studying Spanish achieving a grade 4 or above. We have our highest number of Grade 9s ever achieved with 26 Grade 9s, across a range of subjects including – combined science, computer science, English Literature, ethics, food preparation and nutrition, french, further mathematics, GCSE PE, geography, history, mathematics, Polish and Spanish.
We are incredibly proud of our GCSE PE students with 100% achieving a grade 4 or above along with 28% of students achieving a grade 8 or 9. Another highlight is Art & Design with 89% of students achieving a grade 4 or above.
Along with our GCSE results we have also received some great Level 2 BTEC results with 71% of students achieving a Level 2 Merit or higher in Performing Arts Acting. BTEC Engineering have also performed well with 85% of students achieving a Level 2 Pass or higher.
Congratulations to our outgoing year 11 students on a bumper set of results and we look forward to welcoming so many back for their Post 16 studies.
Year 13 results
We offer a range of qualification types in Post 16 at The Leigh Academy and all have fantastic outcomes. Students studying the International Diplomas discovered that they had achieved the best IB results the academy has had since it was authorised as an IB World School in 2017. In that five year period, the Average Points Score of our IB students has risen by 10, so that our 32.6 APS now places us well above the Leigh Academies Trust average, second in the Leigh Academies Trust overall and above the IB’s global average. Highlights include IB global politics, IB geography as well as IB business management with 90% of students achieving 4 or above.
Further success followed when students collected their A level and Level 3 BTEC results in August. Despite the return to grading more like that used in 2019 (the last time public examinations were taken before the pandemic), these exam results showed the significant progress that students have made over the last two years. The APS for A level subjects is 34 and the average grade achieved across all subjects is C+ Particular note must be made of art graphics A Level with 40% of students achieving A or A * grades, and 60 % with grade B or above, History A Level with 88% of students achieving grade B or above.
In addition, the APS for BTEC subjects is 32.5 and the average grade achieved across all subjects is Distinction. With Performing Arts Acting BTEC and ICT single BTEC standing out with over 70 % of students achieving Distinctions/Distinction stars! Sports BTEC students have achieved particularly highly with 100% achieving Distinction of which 63% were Distinction Stars!
Congratulations to our outgoing Year 13 students, 80% of whom are on their way to university this autumn, with the remainder signing up for apprenticeships, employment and gap years.
The academy site
Over the summer we have also had extensive works carried out at The Leigh Academy. We have had a ‘face lift’ with the communal areas of the building painted and new flooring and carpets throughout. Classrooms have been painted and the next phase will be new carpet in the classrooms.
We are delighted that the Leigh Academies Trust has invested £1.2 million into our new science suite. The first phase has been completed this summer with 3 new science labs and a prep room, phase two next summer, will result in three further science labs. We also have a new Post 16 study centre and a brand new IT suite. Staff are delighted with the new teaching areas and I am sure students will enjoy and appreciate the new learning environment too.
College Figureheads.
This September sees the full launch of our new College figureheads – Mandela (Chaucer), Curie (Darwin), Seacole (daVinci), Shakespeare (Brunel) as well as our new Post 16 Attenborough College. As you know students, staff, parents and governors were all invited to contribute to this project to select the new College figureheads last year and we are proud of the diverse, more representative Colleges that we now have in 2022.
Communication Home/Academy
We know that home/academy communication is a vital ingredient in your child’s success, as such a reminder that your first port of call is usually your child’s form tutor. Alternatively please do contact your child’s college admin who will be able to answer any queries or direct you to the appropriate person.
- Main Reception – 01322 620400 info@leighacademy.org.uk
- Seacole Admin – 01322 620520
- Shakespeare Admin – 01322 620507
- Mandela Admin – 01322 620511
- Curie Admin – 01322 620508
Thank you for your ongoing support as we work in partnership to support your child. I look forward to welcoming you to the upcoming parents information evening starting with Year 7 and Year 11 on Wednesday 14th September ( further details to follow).
Yours sincerely,
Julia Collins | Principal
