How to apply
You must apply on the Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF) via Kent LEA Online.
The school at the top of the list is regarded as your first preference. In order to have the best chance of securing a place at The Leigh Academy, we would highly recommend that you place The Leigh Academy as your first preference.
The Leigh Academy also uses a Fair Ability Banding Assessment in order to apply our criteria. Parents/Carers are able to register students for this assessment by completing the online form. It is essential that this form is completed by the same closing date as for the SCAF, Tuesday 31st October 2023. If you are unable to access the online form, please collect a Fair Ability Banding Form from our reception at the address below:
The Leigh Academy
Green Street Green Road
Dartford
Kent
DA1 1QE
Please note, registration for the Fair Ability Banding Assessment for September 2024 admissions has now closed.
Students who name The Leigh Academy will be invited for a test as part of the national process of ‘fair banding’. This is not a pass or fail assessment, it just ensures that children across the full ability range are admitted.
The order in which places are given at the academy are clearly detailed in our Admissions Arrangement documents below.
Open Events for September 2025 Admissions
We are hosting Year 6 Open Evenings for those who would be joining us in September 2025. They will be held on Wednesday 2nd October and Wednesday 10th October 2024, with multiple sessions each day.
To book onto these sessions, please follow the links below:
Wednesday 2nd October 2024
- 3:30pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/39
- 4pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/40
- 4:30pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/41
- 5pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/42
- 5:30pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/43
- 6pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/44
Wednesday 10th October 2024
- 4pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/45
- 4:30pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/46
- 5pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/47
- 5:30pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/48
- 6pm – https://theleighacademy.applicaa.com/events/49
Fair Banding Test for September 2025 Admissions
The Fair Banding Test will be held on Saturday 16th November 2024. Booking for the test will open on Tuesday 28th May and close on Thursday 31st October 2024, inline with the national closing date for Kent application forms. We will be holding three sessions, 9am, 11:15am and 1:15pm. To book these sessions, please click the links below.
- Saturday 16th November 9am – https://theleighacademy.
applicaa.com/events/35 - Saturday 16th November 11:15am – https://
theleighacademy.applicaa.com/ events/36 - Saturday 16th November 1:15pm – https://
theleighacademy.applicaa.com/ events/37
In Year Admissions
To apply for a place at The Leigh Academy in any year group, applicants will need to complete and return an ‘In Year Admissions’ form to the academy.
Please contact reception for information regarding Year 7 and In-Year Casual Admissions on:
Stacey Thomas,
Admissions Coordinator
Email: admissions@leighacademy.org.uk
Appeals
If you have not been offered a place following an in-year application, the law entitles you to appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel. This panel is completely independent of the school and the Local Authority. In accordance with the 2022 School Admission Appeals Code Appeals, the admission authority and panels have elected for all admissions appeals to be held online.
If you wish to appeal, please use this link to complete your appeal online. Please do NOT use ANY other appeal form or send your form to your local authority. It is highly recommended that you download the explanatory booklet about appeals which you should read before you complete the appeal form.
You should include any evidence or supporting material with your appeal form and you MUST state the grounds of your appeal at the time you lodge your appeal form. Your appeal form will not be accepted unless you give the grounds of your appeal. You may appeal for more than one school.
Please note that the online form will ask you to download two utility bills dated in the last THREE months. If you do not have access to a scanner, please take two photographs using a mobile phone and upload the photographic files.
If you wish to contact the clerk – email : clerk@educationappeals.com
Information about Secondary Transfer appeals will be posted on this website before 28 February 2025.
Timetable for Appeals
Last day for lodging appeal forms
20 School days after the decision letter informing you that you had not been offered a place.
Invitation letter giving details about your hearing will be sent by the Clerk to the Independent Appeal Panel
At least 10 school days before the hearing. This MAY be emailed.
All in-year appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal form being lodged.
Closing date for any additional supporting evidence
FIVE working days before your hearing. You are advised that additional paperwork received on the day of the appeal hearing will not be taken into account. Please email files to clerk@educationappeals.com
Please note that slightly different rules will apply for any summer transfer appeals into Year 7.
Letter from the Clerk informing you of the decision of the independent appeal panel
Due to the high number of appeals, an email is sent a few working days after your hearing with the decision of the panel. This is followed up around 10 working days later with a letter outlining the panels’ reasons.
Sixth Form Applications Appeals
Last day for lodging appeals
4pm on Thursday 31 August 2024 to guarantee that your appeal will be heard in early to mid-September. You MUST state the reasons for your appeal on the online form and supply any documentary evidence at this stage to include a copy of your result sheet.
Please note the timetable is very short to enable those appellants who win appeals to start as early into the school year as possible.
The form will only be available from results day.
Click here for the 6th form appeal form. If this link does not work, it means you are too late to appeal.
Appeal dates
The date will be during the month of September 2024.