Longfield Academy, Longfield Review 2026: An inclusive 11–18 academy with an outstanding sixth form

A large, mixed secondary with sixth form, this is a school that talks openly about high expectations and inclusion, and then builds the structures to match. It sits within Leigh Academies Trust and runs an International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme in Years 7 to 9, which shapes how lessons connect across subjects and how students develop study habits over time.

The sixth form is a standout feature, with modern study spaces and a deliberate emphasis on enrichment and next steps. The main school picture is more mixed, with GCSE outcomes and progress measures that indicate the school still has work to do to translate strong day to day practice into consistently stronger external results.

The school’s identity is closely tied to being respectful, aspirational and caring, and that triad shows up in how routines are described and how responsibility is distributed. Students are organised into three colleges, Galileo, Matisse and Anderson, which provide the pastoral “home base” for day to day support while students move between specialist rooms for lessons.

Inclusion is more than a statement of intent. The Spectrum Centre, a specially resourced provision for students with autism, is designed around integration rather than separation, with students joining mainstream lessons wherever appropriate and accessing targeted support around tutor time and social points of the day. That model matters for families because it tends to produce a more socially mixed peer group, with greater understanding of difference across year groups, while still keeping specialist scaffolding in place for those who need it.

Leadership is clearly visible in school communications, with a steady cadence of parent letters and operational updates. Dr Felix Donkor is the principal, and trust communications describe him as having led the school since January 2021, which is useful context when weighing the direction of travel.

The site itself supports a modern secondary experience. Trust materials describe a £24 million new build in 2011, and sixth form pages highlight dedicated social and study areas, including plaza spaces and the Helix restaurant. For students, that kind of environment often makes a practical difference, it reduces bottlenecks, supports independent study, and helps a sixth form feel distinct rather than simply an extension of Year 11.

The school’s GCSE measures indicate outcomes that are currently below the England middle range on this dataset, with a particular challenge around Progress 8. In 2024, the Attainment 8 score was 39.1 and the Progress 8 score was -0.38, which suggests students, on average, made less progress than pupils with similar starting points nationally. GCSE performance is also reflected in the FindMySchool ranking position.

Ranked 3087th in England and 1st in Longfield for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), the school sits below England average in relative terms, and families should read this as a signal that outcomes are not yet matching the school’s ambition.

EBacc indicators add detail to the picture. The average EBacc APS score is 3.71, compared with an England average of 4.08 on this dataset. For many families, EBacc matters less as a label and more as a proxy for curriculum breadth and the consistency of teaching across a larger suite of subjects, particularly languages and humanities. A lower EBacc APS can mean either weaker outcomes, fewer students completing the full set, or both, so it is worth discussing subject pathways at options time.

Post 16 outcomes, while not perfect, have clearer strengths in this profile. Ranked 2158th in England and 1st in Longfield for A level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), the sixth form sits in the lower national band on this dataset, but with a sizeable cohort achieving B grades and above. In 2024, 29.37% of A level entries were graded A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2% on this dataset, and 23.6% at A* to A.

One practical implication is that the sixth form’s overall judgement and day to day experience can be strong, even when headline grades remain a work in progress. For families considering staying on after Year 11, it becomes important to match course choice to student profile, particularly where vocational or technical pathways may provide a better fit than a purely academic three A level diet.

Parents comparing outcomes locally should use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view these results side by side with nearby alternatives, and to track whether progress measures improve over time.

Key Stage 3 is shaped by the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, which encourages students to make links across subject areas and build skills such as reflection, communication and independent inquiry. In practice, that tends to show up through explicit skill teaching, shared language across departments, and a stronger emphasis on how learning is organised rather than simply what is covered.

At Key Stage 4, the curriculum model is deliberately broad. Students study the core GCSE subjects, and the school sets out a structure where science can be taken as combined or triple, and where a humanity and a language form part of the standard expectation for many students. This matters because it signals that the school is not narrowing early to maximise grades in a small set of subjects, instead it is aiming for breadth and longer term choice.

Homework and digital access are part of the school’s operational design. Homework is set through Google Classroom and the school publishes suggested weekly homework patterns by year group. For families, the benefit is clarity, it makes it easier to build routines at home, and it helps students learn to plan around fixed windows of independent work rather than relying on last minute prompts.

A consistent theme in official information is refining teaching to close gaps that emerged after the pandemic. In parent terms, that translates into a school that may be particularly attentive to misconceptions, retrieval practice, and targeted support for students who arrive in Year 7 or move into Year 10 with uneven prior knowledge. That focus should suit students who respond well to clear instruction and predictable routines, and it is worth asking, at open events, how subject leaders identify and respond to gaps in their specific areas.

The school does not publish a detailed Russell Group or Oxbridge pipeline on its main pages, so the most useful published destination picture is the standard leaver progression data.

For the 2023–2024 leaver cohort (70 students), 49% progressed to university. A further 4% went into further education, 4% started apprenticeships, and 34% entered employment. For families, the key takeaway is that the sixth form supports multiple routes, not only higher education, and that a substantial minority move directly into work, which makes careers education and employability support particularly important.

On the sixth form side, the school highlights enrichment and preparation for next steps as core themes, with structured opportunities beyond lessons. Where this tends to be most valuable is in helping students build evidence for applications, whether that is a personal statement, a CV, an apprenticeship application, or an interview.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Kent County Council, with the academy’s admissions arrangements aligned to the Kent coordinated scheme and timetable. The published admission number is 180 for Year 7, and oversubscription criteria apply when applications exceed that figure.

For September 2026 entry, Kent’s secondary transfer timetable sets a 31 October 2025 deadline for on time applications, with National Offer Day on 02 March 2026 and a parent response deadline of 16 March 2026. Appeals and reallocations then follow through spring, and families should build in time to gather evidence if they think an appeal may be needed.

Open events for the September 2026 intake were published with specific dates in late September and early October 2025, with open evenings that did not require booking and open morning slots that did. If you missed those dates, the pattern is still informative, it suggests the school typically runs its main Year 6 open cycle in that early autumn window, and families should check the current calendar for any additional tours or late cycle events.

Sixth form entry has clear academic thresholds. The admissions arrangements set a baseline of 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above including English and maths, with additional requirements for specific courses. Internal applicants who meet criteria are admitted even if numbers exceed capacity, while external entry depends on available places once internal demand is met, with capacity described as 150.

If your decision depends on practical distance, families should use the FindMySchool Map Search tool to check their exact route and proximity, then cross check against Kent’s allocation rules, as priority is determined by the oversubscription criteria rather than by a fixed catchment promise.

Pastoral design centres on the college structure and a culture of disruption free learning, with expectations reinforced through daily routines. The personal development programme is broad and includes structured learning around citizenship, relationships, wellbeing and online safety, as well as opportunities for student leadership such as eco representatives.

The Spectrum Centre is a meaningful part of the wellbeing offer for families of students with autism or significant social communication needs. The emphasis on integration, alongside a carefully planned timetable and targeted support at key points in the day, can be a strong fit for students who benefit from routine and scaffolding while still wanting to be part of the wider school.

The latest Ofsted report confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective, which is a critical baseline for any school decision.

Extracurricular provision is a strength when it is specific and regular, and this school publishes enough detail to give families a real sense of what students can do week to week.

Sports clubs are scheduled by module, and published examples include handball, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, netball, rugby and running, alongside gym sessions and basketball in the sports hall. The practical benefit is straightforward: students who commit to a fixed club slot tend to build stronger attendance habits, find their peer group more quickly, and gain an alternative source of confidence when academic motivation dips.

There is also clear evidence of non sport options that broaden the day. Published club examples include Robotics club, Manga and Anime club, Eco club, Creative arts club, Board Game Club, Lego Club, DT Club and Drama Club, plus an LRC reading and homework club. For students who are less drawn to competitive sport, these options often become the place where school feels most personal, and where friendships are built around shared interests rather than timetable coincidence.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is available, with the school describing logistics varying by uptake. In parent terms, this is one of the most transferable experiences available in a mainstream secondary, it teaches planning, teamwork and perseverance, and it can play well in sixth form applications and post 18 interviews when students can talk concretely about challenge and responsibility.

Sixth form enrichment is positioned as central rather than optional. The school highlights Community Tuesdays, leadership development and structured enrichment, alongside dedicated social and study space. Where this tends to pay off is in helping students build the wider profile needed for competitive destinations, including apprenticeships and employment routes where soft skills and evidence of commitment matter as much as grades.

The school day is published clearly. On most days, the academy runs 8:30am to 3:15pm, with an earlier finish at 2:00pm on Wednesdays. This structure can be helpful for families planning transport and after school routines, but it also means students who want to access clubs or extra support need to plan for later finishes on some days.

Lunch provision runs through the Helix restaurant, with cashless payment and a biometric purchase system described in the school’s parent FAQs. The school also sets out practical guidance on site safety, including managing the pressure points around drop off and pick up and keeping the car park workable for buses.

Accessibility and parking information is published, including step free access to the main entrance and dedicated disabled bays close to the entrance. Post 16 guidance also references on site parking and the school’s proximity to the A2, which will matter for families commuting from a wider area.

• GCSE outcomes and progress measures. The Progress 8 score of -0.38 and Attainment 8 of 39.1 in 2024 indicate that outcomes have not yet caught up with the school’s stated ambition. Families should ask how the school is targeting subject specific gaps, particularly where progress has been stubborn.

• EBacc performance. An EBacc APS of 3.71 compared with an England average of 4.08 on this suggests EBacc subjects remain a development area. This may matter most for students aiming for highly academic sixth form pathways, where languages and humanities can keep more doors open.

• Attendance recovery. Official evidence points to attendance being an improvement focus since the pandemic. If your child is prone to anxiety based absence or has had disrupted schooling, it is worth discussing attendance support and reintegration strategies early.

• Sixth form capacity and external entry. Internal applicants who meet entry criteria are admitted, and external places depend on remaining capacity once internal demand is known. External candidates should apply early and keep a back up plan.

Longfield Academy is a large, modern academy built around inclusion, clear routines and a structured personal development offer, with an outstanding sixth form as a key differentiator. The main caution is that GCSE performance measures remain a constraint so families should focus on subject level support, how gaps are addressed, and whether the student’s learning style fits the school’s expectations.

Best suited to students who benefit from clear structures, want breadth at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, and may value a sixth form environment with dedicated study spaces and enrichment alongside multiple post 18 routes.