Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard

Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard

Address: Cherry Orchard, Cherry Orchard Road, Ebbsfleet Valley, Ebbsfleet, Kent, DA10 1AD Unique reference number (URN): 142517

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Exceptional

Achievement is excellent. Outcomes in most statutory tests have remained significantly above national averages over time. The achievement of disadvantaged pupils is particularly impressive. Unlike the national picture, these pupils frequently attain in line with, or above, their non-disadvantaged peers nationally. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) also make impressive progress from their starting points.

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Achievement Exceptional

Pupils achieve exceptionally highly across the curriculum because they acquire and retain knowledge remarkably well. They draw confidently on prior learning, make meaningful connections within and across subjects and apply their knowledge with great success in new contexts. Pupils’ notably detailed recall reflects the curriculum's coherent design and thoughtful sequencing.

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Achievement Exceptional

Leaders' successful focus on improving writing contributes to the first-class standards seen across the school. Pupils write confidently and fluently for a range of purposes, demonstrating stamina and increasing sophistication. High standards of presentation and handwriting reflect pupils' pride in their work and their positive attitudes to learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Exceptional

Attendance is consistently high and exceeds pre-pandemic levels for all groups of pupils. Persistent absence is significantly below the national average. Leaders analyse attendance information rigorously and use their findings to refine and strengthen their approach. This contributes to the incredibly high expectations for attendance that are evident across the school. Impressively robust systems are in place to identify and resolve concerns swiftly, including targeted support for families provided by key members of staff.

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Attendance and behaviour Exceptional

Pupils’ exemplary behaviour reflects the school’s high expectations and deeply embedded culture of respect. During social times, pupils interact very positively, play cooperatively and demonstrate well-developed social skills. In lessons, pupils are highly motivated, engaging enthusiastically with their learning and striving to achieve their best. Pupils consistently report that bullying is rare. They are confident that staff deal with any concerns promptly and effectively. Leaders maintain rigorous oversight of any issues that arise, through detailed recording and monitoring systems.

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Attendance and behaviour Exceptional

The impact of leaders’ exemplary work in this area is recognised nationally. The school supports other schools by sharing its highly effective practice and expertise in securing high attendance and positive behaviour.

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Curriculum and teaching Exceptional

The quality of the curriculum and teaching is consistently exemplary. The school's highly ambitious and rich curriculum enables pupils to develop deep and secure knowledge over time, including in the essential skills of reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have adapted the curriculum thoughtfully to reflect the diversity of the school's community and to broaden pupils' understanding of the wider world. For example, leaders have established collaborative cooking projects with partner schools in other countries.

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Curriculum and teaching Exceptional

Staff make highly effective adaptations to remove barriers to learning without reducing the ambition of the curriculum. This means that all groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), access learning with independence and great success. When appropriate, pupils in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND join mainstream classes. Carefully planned transitions ensure that they participate successfully and thrive alongside their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Exceptional

A highly structured programme of professional learning means that teachers demonstrate expert subject and pedagogical knowledge across the curriculum. They present new learning with clarity, build systematically on pupils' prior knowledge and make deft use of assessment to identify and address pupils' misconceptions.

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Curriculum and teaching Exceptional

Leaders have a meticulous understanding of how pupils experience all aspects of the curriculum. They evaluate teaching and achievement rigorously to continually refine provision. This ensures that the curriculum remains highly effective and responsive to pupils' needs and contributes to the school’s consistently high outcomes.

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Inclusion Exceptional

Leaders’ uncompromising ambition for all pupils is realised through highly effective systems that identify and dismantle barriers to learning and wellbeing at the earliest opportunity. This determination is reflected in the excellent achievement, attendance and wider personal development of all groups of pupils. Leaders’ clearly defined and systematic graduated approach to inclusion is central to this success. It is underpinned by extremely robust processes for identification, assessment and tracking.

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Inclusion Exceptional

Leaders invest significantly in developing staff expertise in relation to meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, staff are impressive experts. They adapt provision seamlessly to ensure that all pupils access the full curriculum and wider life of the school alongside their peers. This is evident across classrooms and within the school’s specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND.

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Inclusion Exceptional

The school’s bespoke use of pupil premium funding ensures that disadvantaged pupils flourish and benefit fully from the quality of the school’s offer. Funding is used astutely to remove both academic and social barriers, enabling pupils to attend, participate fully and achieve highly. Leaders are equally proactive in identifying and supporting pupils who may face less-visible barriers to success, including young carers and those known to social care. The school ensures that no group is overlooked.

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Leadership and governance Exceptional

Leaders have an unswerving moral purpose to serve the needs of the community. They have built on the school's existing strengths and secured further improvements. They have an incisive understanding of the pupils and their families and are relentless in removing barriers to achievement. As a result, pupils thrive at this school, particularly those who are most vulnerable. This is reflected in the high achievement and attendance of disadvantaged pupils and the successful work of the school’s specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders at all levels have the expertise and capacity to provide rigorous oversight and secure continued improvement.

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Leadership and governance Exceptional

Leaders across the school and trust invest significantly in professional learning through an extensive and innovative programme of training and support. As a result, staff are highly skilled and well equipped to realise leaders' ambitious vision. Staff are immensely proud to work at the school and feel valued and empowered to contribute to its ongoing success.

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Leadership and governance Exceptional

The partnership between the school and the trust is a key factor in sustaining the school's exceptionally high standards. Trust leaders have a detailed understanding of the school, enabling them to provide bespoke challenge and support.

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Leadership and governance Exceptional

Governance is exemplary. The community board and trustees have an incisive understanding of the school’s context and provide highly effective strategic leadership. They hold leaders to account very closely and ensure that resources are deployed effectively. Their work is instrumental in securing the school’s continued success and supporting its wider contribution to improvement in the sector.

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Personal development and wellbeing Exceptional

Leaders have developed a transformative personal development programme that goes considerably beyond what is required. The school's work in this area has a significant impact on pupils’ aspirations and readiness for life in modern Britain. A particular strength of the programme is its highly ambitious approach to careers education. Leaders have established a coherent offer that begins in the early years, when children are given meaningful responsibilities, and develops through to the well-established 'Pupil Employment Scheme' for older pupils. This, as well as extensive leadership opportunities and initiatives such as Careers Week, means that pupils gain valuable insight into a diverse range of future pathways. It also gives pupils the chance to develop important transferable skills, such as taking on responsibility and teamwork.

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Personal development and wellbeing Exceptional

The school’s extensive extra-curricular offer further enhances pupils’ personal development. Judicious choices have been made by leaders about what to include, where and when on the school’s ‘personal development pathway’. A wide range of creative, sporting, technological and wellbeing activities enable pupils to develop new interests, nurture their talents and build confidence. Leaders actively seek pupils’ views when shaping the programme. They monitor pupils' participation carefully and take effective action to remove barriers to involvement, ensuring that opportunities are inclusive and highly attended. Leaders make sure that there are dedicated opportunities for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who attend the specially resourced provision to attend after-school clubs.

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Personal development and wellbeing Exceptional

The personal, social, health and relationships education curriculum equips pupils exceptionally well to stay safe and make informed choices. Pupils confidently recall their sophisticated learning and demonstrate a mature understanding of healthy relationships, consent and emotional wellbeing. Older pupils speak knowledgeably about safeguarding risks and understand how to use technology responsibly and safely.

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Strong standard

Pupils have a deep appreciation of equality and diversity. They are passionate about inclusion. Pupils celebrate the differences within their community and demonstrate a first- class understanding of faiths and cultures. Through a range of meaningful experiences, pupils learn to recognise injustice and challenge discrimination.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious early years curriculum that identifies the knowledge and vocabulary that children need to be well prepared for Year 1. Expectations are especially high in the Nursery Year, aligning learning closely with the ambition seen across the school.

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Early years Strong standard

Children benefit from a wide range of carefully planned learning experiences that support achievement across all areas of learning. Staff interact skilfully with children, using high- quality questioning and discussion to extend vocabulary, deepen thinking and promote language development. Learning activities encourage independence and enable children to apply their skills confidently. For example, children create books and use their developing writing skills purposefully in play.

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Early years Strong standard

Strong foundations established in the Nursery Year allow children to apply their early literacy and mathematical knowledge to solve problems and reason with confidence. Children are articulate, engage enthusiastically with learning and demonstrate impressive levels of cooperation and self-regulation.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders ensure that children's needs are identified promptly through effective assessment and monitoring systems. Well-established approaches lead to swift and appropriate support for those who require additional help. As a result, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, access the curriculum successfully and thrive from the earliest stages of their education.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

During their time at Cherry Orchard, pupils achieve exceptionally well, feel highly valued and flourish. Inclusion is not simply something pupils learn about. It is a lived reality which permeates every aspect of the provision. Leaders and staff work with precision to identify and remove barriers that might hinder pupils’ success. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who attend the school’s specially resourced provision are included fully in school life. As a result, all pupils are supported to thrive. Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils feel very safe at school and trust staff to help them should any concerns arise. The school celebrates its place in the international community. This helps pupils to value diversity and develop a broad understanding of the world around them. Pupils embody the school’s vision of establishing strong roots while growing into global citizens. They are exceptionally well

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils’ attendance is excellent. They benefit fully from an ambitious curriculum that secures strong foundational skills, while broadening their horizons. From the Nursery Year onwards, pupils develop confidence and resilience through the school’s carefully planned ‘learning behaviours’. For example, pupils know the importance of being a ‘risk taker’ and explain how this helps them to overcome challenges and persevere when things become difficult. Pupils value receiving ‘gold stars’ and ‘shout-out’ rewards to celebrate occasions when they demonstrate these positive behaviours.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school’s extensive wider development programme helps pupils develop a myriad of skills and knowledge. Through enterprise projects, meaningful job roles and the 'Cherry Pennies' scheme, pupils develop strong financial awareness and decision-making skills. They weigh up whether to spend their ‘Cherry Cash’ immediately or save it towards a larger reward in the future. An impressively wide and precisely planned range of extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities further enhances pupils’ experiences and broadens their cultural understanding.

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Next steps

Leaders should build on the established strengths in the early years to enhance the high standards of education and care for all children, including those who are disadvantaged.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Leigh Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Simon Beamish, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Frank Green.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

The inspection took place from 30 June to 1 July 2026.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the principal and other school leaders, members of the community board, the CEO and other trust leaders, and trustees during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with staff, parents, carers and pupils during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are 17 pupils with speech, language and communication needs on roll. All pupils in this provision have an education, health and care plan.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Team inspectors:

Jenny Ashley-Jones, Ofsted Inspector Mark Rivers, Ofsted Inspector Caroline Clarke, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 30 June 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The school uses one registered alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

Principal: Julie Forsythe The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2022/23 (final) 60% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 67% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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