Leigh Academy Rainham Review 2026: Oversubscribed Medway secondary with strong behaviour and an IB-led Key Stage 3

Because Leigh Academy Rainham opened to Year 7 in September 2021 and expanded year by year, public examination outcomes have naturally taken time to arrive. At the time of the February 2024 inspection, the school had pupils in Years 7 to 9, and was still building towards full capacity.

That context matters for parents reading performance tables. For a newer secondary, the most reliable “early” indicators tend to be the quality of curriculum thinking, consistency of routines, teaching checks, and whether pupils develop the habits to thrive when GCSE and post-16 courses begin. On those measures, the evidence base is encouraging: the Ofsted report describes an ambitious and interesting curriculum, logical sequencing of knowledge across subjects, and pupils working with focus, independence and resilience.

One practical learning enabler is the school’s digital approach. Ofsted notes pupils making very good use of their individual devices for independent learning, and the school’s published information references Chromebooks and access to equipment as part of learning resources support.

The curriculum story here is more distinctive than many local comprehensives, largely because IB MYP is used as the Key Stage 3 organising framework. In practice, that tends to show up in three ways.

First, students are expected to understand how subject knowledge travels. The school describes making links between disciplines, and Ofsted gives an example of English literature connecting with set design and production planning when studying A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The implication for students is that learning is less about memorising isolated facts, and more about applying knowledge and vocabulary in varied contexts.

Second, reading is treated as a cross-cutting priority. Ofsted notes encouragement to read widely and often, and improving support for pupils who struggle with reading so they gain fluency and confidence. For families with a child who needs structured literacy catch-up, this is an important signpost, it suggests intervention is an active part of the school improvement plan rather than an afterthought.

Third, classroom checking is meant to be responsive. Ofsted’s account includes teachers using questions to check what pupils have learned and adapting teaching to address misconceptions. It also flags an area to keep watching, a small number of staff do not always use the most effective strategies for pupils with SEND, and the school is expected to continue training so practice is consistently strong.

Leigh Academy Rainham is structured as an 11 to 19 school, with a sixth form that is building its offer.

What can be said with confidence today is the shape of the post-16 model. The school sets out multiple pathways, including IB Diploma courses, the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) model, and vocational options such as AAQs. The intent is a mix of academic depth and career readiness, rather than a one-size-fits-all A-level route.

The school’s published post-16 materials also indicate a deliberate “preparation programme” strand, positioned as university and employment preparation, alongside leadership opportunities in the sixth form.

Because the available destination statistics are limited, parents should use open evenings, sixth form guidance meetings, and subject consultations to test the practical reality: which subjects are running at full scale, how class sizes will look, what external application support includes, and what expectations are placed on independent study.

For Year 7 entry, Leigh Academy Rainham sits within Medway Council’s co-ordinated admissions process and timetable.

For September 2026 entry specifically, Medway’s published timeline sets out:

• Applications open on 1 September 2025

• Applications close on 31 October 2025

• Offers are issued on 2 March 2026

• The deadline for accepting or refusing offers, and making waiting list and appeal requests, is 27 March 2026

Demand is a defining feature. for the main entry route, the school is oversubscribed, with 704 applications and 172 offers, around 4.09 applications per place. The first-preference pressure is also notable, with first preferences exceeding first-preference offers by a factor of 1.18. In plain terms, a meaningful share of families who put the school first will not be offered a place on offer day.

If a place is refused and a family considers appeal, the school publishes a detailed appeals timetable, including deadlines for lodging Year 7 appeals for September 2026 entry and the dates for stage 1 and stage 2 hearings.

A practical tip: families who are uncertain about eligibility should use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check exact home-to-school distance and compare it with recent allocation patterns, then sanity-check against Medway’s current year admissions guidance.

The pastoral model is tightly linked to routines and behaviour expectations. The February 2024 Ofsted report describes pupils who understand the school’s approach as firm and fair, with exemplary behaviour and clear expectations in lessons and around the site. For many families, that is the foundation of wellbeing, predictable standards reduce anxiety and reduce conflict.

Personal development is also treated as structured curriculum rather than bolt-on. Ofsted notes teaching around staying healthy, managing risk and healthy relationships, plus encouragement to participate in clubs, activities and wider experiences. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is explicitly referenced as part of this personal development picture.

For SEND families, the school describes a commitment to inclusion and access to a broad and challenging curriculum. There is also a named specialist resource provision, The Meegan Centre SRP, referenced in the school’s SEND information.

This is an area where Leigh Academy Rainham gives parents unusually specific information, including an example weekly module list of co-curricular clubs and where they run.

The co-curricular programme is scheduled with lunchtime clubs and after-school clubs, and the school also runs a Homework Club in the library after school, positioned as supported independent study. The implication is straightforward: students who benefit from structure, or who need a calm place to work before going home, have a ready-made routine available.

Examples of named clubs and sessions include:

• Diversity Club

• Computing Club, plus Computer Games Design Club

• Eco Club

• Board Games and Lego Club

• Anime Club

• KS3 Art Club and Year 10 Art Club

• Geography Club at GCSE level

• Rugby Club, Football Club, and Netball Club

• School Production sessions

• Year 10 masterclasses in areas such as religious education, design and technology, history, and Year 11 masterclass sessions by subject

The point is not that every student must join everything. It is that the menu is broad enough to support different identities, creative, sporty, academic extension, and social clubs for students who prefer quieter group spaces.

The academy day is published in detail. Students arrive from 8:00am, with the taught day beginning at 8:40am. For Years 7 to 9, the day includes five one-hour periods, with form time after lunch, and after-school clubs scheduled 3:15pm to 4:15pm on set days. The school also states that Wednesdays finish earlier for pupils, with students leaving site at 2:10pm, to support staff professional development.

There is no nursery provision at this school, it is a secondary and post-16 setting.

For transport planning, most families will build routines around local bus routes and drop-off arrangements rather than rail, given the Rainham location. When visiting, ask specifically about arrival and dispersal logistics, and how the school manages late arrivals and after-school supervision.

• A newer school building its track record. The school opened in 2021 and has expanded year by year, so long-run public exam trends are still emerging.

• Competitive entry. The local demand data indicates oversubscription at the main entry point, with around 4.09 applications per place. Families should apply with realistic expectations and keep backup options live.

• Consistency for SEND practice is still an improvement focus. Ofsted notes strong support overall, but also that a small number of staff do not always use the most effective strategies, and training should continue so practice is consistently effective.

• A strong routines culture is not for everyone. Students who prefer clear rules and predictable consequences often thrive in “firm and fair” schools, students who struggle with structure may need a careful transition plan and close pastoral check-ins early on.

Leigh Academy Rainham is a high-demand Medway secondary that has put behaviour, culture and curriculum design at the centre of its early growth. The February 2024 Ofsted inspection gives the clearest headline, Good overall, with Outstanding judgements in three key areas, and a school climate described as calm, orderly, and focused.

Who it suits: families who want a structured, high-expectations comprehensive with a Key Stage 3 curriculum framed through IB MYP principles, and a co-curricular programme detailed enough to support many different interests. The main constraint is admission, not the day-to-day offer.