LeAF Studio Review 2026: A specialist Year 9 entry school for Sport and Performing Arts

LeAF Studio is a studio school serving students aged 13 to 19 in the Wallisdown area of Bournemouth, with a clear proposition: a mainstream secondary education shaped around Sport and Performing Arts pathways, and entry points that begin at Year 9 rather than Year 7. It opened in September 2012 and moved into its current modern building in September 2013, designed to support practical, performance-led learning alongside core GCSE and post-16 study.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (24 September 2024) judged Quality of education, Behaviour and attitudes, Leadership and management, and Sixth form provision as Good, with Personal development graded Outstanding.

For families, the appeal is straightforward. If your child’s motivation is tied closely to a sporting discipline or performance pathway, and you want that specialism integrated into the timetable rather than bolted on as an after-school option, this is an unusual and locally distinctive model.

This is a school that signals its identity explicitly. The website’s framing is about students “performing to your potential”, and the leadership team places the specialist pathways front and centre, not as a marketing flourish but as a structural organising principle. Nadine Lapskas is the Executive Principal, and the senior team includes a named Head of School and a Head of Sixth Form, which often indicates a deliberate split between strategic leadership and day-to-day operational focus.

The 2024 Ofsted report describes a setting where pupils feel part of a special community and feel able to be themselves; it also reflects very strong outcomes in personal development, which aligns with the school’s emphasis on confidence, identity and progression beyond the classroom.

Parents weighing LeAF Studio are usually comparing it with a conventional secondary that offers strong extra-curricular sport or drama. The difference here is that the timetable and staffing are designed around the dual track: academic core plus specialism. That can suit students who have struggled to engage in a standard model, or those whose training and practice load requires a school that is structured to accommodate it.

LeAF Studio is ranked 3,058th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data) and 12th in Bournemouth. This places performance below England average overall.

At GCSE level, the school’s most recent Attainment 8 score is 42.5. The EBacc average point score is 3.41, and 2.5% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc measure. Progress 8 is -0.18, which indicates students make slightly below-average progress from their starting points when compared with pupils nationally.

For post-16, the sixth form is ranked 2,575th in England (FindMySchool ranking based on official data) and 10th in Bournemouth for A-level outcomes overall. The published performance picture for this provider is better interpreted through the school’s pathway structure, where vocational and mixed programmes are an important part of sixth form study, rather than assuming a purely A-level driven model.

How to interpret this as a parent: LeAF Studio’s academic outcomes do not currently sit in the top tiers nationally, but the offer is not built solely around headline exam optimisation. The school’s model is about sustained engagement, confidence and progression for students whose strengths may show best when classroom learning is connected to a real performance or sporting discipline. If your priority is a conventional, exam-maximising academic route, you should compare carefully with other local schools using the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tools, then weigh whether LeAF’s specialist integration is a better fit for your child’s motivation and learning style.

The curriculum is structured around a core academic spine plus two specialism options. Core subjects include English, mathematics and science, then the specialism pathway sits alongside to create a timetable that keeps academic expectations clear while preserving time for training, rehearsal and specialist coaching.

A particularly distinctive feature is that Year 9 is framed as a consolidation year. That matters because students arrive from a wide spread of schools and settings, and there can be real variability in coverage and sequencing by the end of Year 8. Building Year 9 around bridging content and re-establishing key skills is a practical response to later entry. The implication is that students who have had disrupted education, or simply inconsistent curriculum coverage, may find the transition more workable than being dropped directly into a GCSE sprint.

Post-16, the school describes study as vocational BTECs or a combination of BTEC and A-level qualifications, selected around an individual career pathway. There is also explicit reference to GCSE English and mathematics resit support where needed, which is often critical for progression into employment, apprenticeships or higher-level study.

For most families, the key question is whether the specialist model translates into credible next steps. The available leaver destinations data indicates that, for the 2023/24 cohort, 25% progressed to university, 4% started apprenticeships, 1% progressed to further education, and 40% moved into employment.

The school also publishes a “Post 16 Destinations” table on its performance page, which reinforces that destination tracking is a live priority in how LeAF measures impact, even if student routes vary widely depending on whether they are aiming for professional performance, sport pathways, apprenticeships, or a more conventional university route.

The practical implication is that LeAF Studio can suit students who want a range of credible pathways without a single definition of success. Parents should still probe what destination support looks like in practice, for example interview preparation, links with employers, auditions, portfolio development, and how academic references and predicted grades are managed for students whose timetable includes heavy rehearsal or training time.

LeAF Studio does not follow the standard Year 7 entry route. The main secondary entry point is Year 9, with a stated process that includes a completed application, aptitude workshops and testing, and then (if successful at aptitude stage) an application through the local authority route.

The school aligns admissions timing with local authority deadlines. The website also sets out appeal information for Year 9 entry, including a specific deadline for appeal forms for September 2026 intake: 13 April 2026 at 4pm, with hearings in June 2026.

For sixth form, the main entry point is Year 12 via an online application, and the sixth form is framed around Sport and Performing Arts pathways, with programme selection shaping what supporting information is requested.

Open events are signposted, with KS4 open evening typically positioned for September and the sixth form open evening typically positioned for October, although exact dates may be confirmed later each year and booking may be required.

A practical step: if your child is currently in Year 8 or Year 11 and you are considering a move for September 2026, treat this as a two-track process. You are evaluating fit and specialism at the same time as navigating local authority timelines and LeAF’s own aptitude and workshop steps.

Personal development is the standout graded area in the most recent inspection, and that tends to correlate with purposeful personal, social and health education, leadership opportunities, and a culture where students feel known.

Support structures are clearly signposted for sixth form, including regular access to tutors and Heads of Year, plus the ability to book small-group or one-to-one sessions to support learning and wellbeing.

The document library also indicates a wide set of safeguarding and support policies, including a specific “Wellbeing Dog in School Policy”, which suggests pastoral culture is treated as an operational priority rather than an informal add-on.

For LeAF Studio, the specialist pathways are the main story, and the strongest extra-curricular indicators are those that operate as structured programmes rather than casual clubs.

Performing Arts

At sixth form, the in-house Performing Arts Company is a defining feature, with strands that include Acting, Contemporary Dance, Advanced Dance and Singing, supported by named creative directors. This matters because it implies auditioning, rehearsal discipline and public performance expectations, which can be highly motivating for the right student and a meaningful preparation for conservatoire-style environments or professional pathways.

Sport

On the sport side, the curriculum page references dual career structures and accreditation. It notes participation in the European Network of Sports Schools since 2020 and highlights recognition linked to supporting talented athletes in full-time education. The implication for families is that training demands are intended to be compatible with continued academic study, rather than forcing students into a trade-off.

Academic support as an enrichment pillar

One detail that often matters to parents is whether “specialist” means “less academic”. Homework club availability after school on multiple days each week is a small but meaningful indicator that study routines are expected and supported, even if the school’s identity is rooted in performance pathways.

The published school day runs from registration at 8.35am to the end of Lesson 5 at 3.15pm.

Because the school begins at Year 9, families should plan transition logistics carefully, particularly transport and travel time from the student’s current school and friendship network. Public information sources indicate the site supports drop-off and collection, and the school operates within a wider local authority context.

Wraparound care is not typically a feature for secondary settings, but families should note that after-school academic support and rehearsals or training may extend the practical day beyond 3.15pm on some days.

• Later entry point. Joining at Year 9 is a significant reset. Some students thrive with a fresh start and clearer identity; others can find mid-secondary transition socially and academically challenging, especially if they are leaving established friendship groups behind.

• Academic outcomes are not the main headline. GCSE and sixth form rankings sit below England average. Families prioritising a traditional academic route should compare options carefully using FindMySchool’s local comparison tools before deciding that specialism outweighs results.

• Specialism must be genuine. The model works best for students who actively want Sport or Performing Arts as a central organising feature of school life. If the specialism is only a vague interest, the overall offer may not feel sufficiently aligned.

• Admissions steps add complexity. Year 9 entry includes aptitude workshops and testing, plus alignment with local authority deadlines. Parents should plan early and keep an eye on published timelines and appeals information for the relevant intake year.

LeAF Studio is a distinctive Bournemouth option for students who need a school built around serious Sport or Performing Arts commitment, with mainstream academic study integrated rather than treated as secondary. It suits families who value engagement, identity and progression pathways, and who are comfortable with a Year 9 entry transition. Securing the right fit is the main task; for the right student, the specialist structure can make school feel purposeful again.