Joseph Leckie Academy Review 2026: A calm, values-led 11–18 with a broad sixth-form offer

A large, mixed secondary with sixth form, Joseph Leckie Academy combines scale with a clear set of everyday expectations, framed around its LECKIE values (leadership, empathy, community, kindness, integrity and environment). The most recent inspection judged the academy as Good, including sixth form provision, and described a calm, purposeful culture where disruption is rare and pupils feel safe.

For families in the Walsall area weighing up mainstream 11–18 options, the headline is steadiness rather than flash: a broad curriculum, structured pastoral systems, and a sixth form that mixes A-levels with vocational pathways.

The school’s culture is anchored in two visible priorities: calm behaviour and consistent relationships. Pupils are described as proud of their school, punctuality and attendance are strong, and day-to-day learning is rarely interrupted by poor conduct. That matters in a large setting, because the difference between “busy” and “settled” is usually systems, routines, and staff follow-through.

The academy’s LECKIE values are not presented as abstract branding. They are used as a common language for expectations, including the way students treat one another, how adults intervene when standards slip, and how pupils are expected to represent the school in the wider community.

Leadership is current and clearly signposted. Mr Andrew McNaughton is the Principal, with a handover into post from 01 September 2025. That is recent enough that families visiting in 2026 should expect a “direction of travel” feel, with some initiatives being reinforced and others still bedding in.

At GCSE level, performance sits around the middle of the England distribution on FindMySchool’s ranking model, which is based on official outcomes data. Ranked 2,313rd in England and 12th in Walsall for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), this reflects solid performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

Looking at the underlying indicators, the academy’s Progress 8 figure is 0.11, which indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points across eight qualifications. Average Attainment 8 is 43.7, while the average EBacc APS is 3.83, against an England benchmark of 4.08. EBacc grade 5+ sits at 14.3%. (These figures provide a useful “shape” of performance: progress is a relative strength, while EBacc entry and strong EBacc passes are the more demanding levers for many comprehensive secondaries.)

In sixth form, outcomes are weaker relative to England benchmarks on the FindMySchool ranking model. Ranked 1,767th in England and 7th in Walsall for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing the sixth form in the lower-performing band for England overall (bottom 40%). Grade distribution reinforces that picture: 2.47% of entries at A*, 13.58% at A, and 38.89% at A*–B. For context, the England benchmark is 23.6% at A*–A and 47.2% at A*–B.

Parents comparing options locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tools to view GCSE and sixth-form performance side by side, while keeping an eye on whether a school’s strengths sit in progress, top grades, or breadth of pathways.

The curriculum is presented as ambitious and carefully sequenced, with the intention that pupils learn essential knowledge in a logical order so they remember more over time. There is clear emphasis on key stage 3 being “broad and deep”, with a wide key stage 4 offer, and a push to ensure subject choices support next steps beyond Year 11.

For families, the practical implication is that subject coverage should feel comprehensive rather than narrow. This is the kind of school where consistency between departments matters, because experiences can otherwise vary widely. The inspection narrative highlights that sequencing is strong overall, while also noting that in some subjects, tasks could sometimes be ordered better so learning builds progressively. This is a useful question to probe at open evenings: how departments check that weaker sequencing is being tightened, and what staff training looks like in practice.

Literacy support is a visible component. Reading specialists are referenced as supporting pupils who need help with fluency and phonics, and the wider library offer is substantial enough to reinforce independent study habits, which becomes increasingly important through GCSE and into sixth form.

Where Students Go Next

The academy has a sixth form, and the destinations picture is mixed, with a meaningful university pipeline alongside apprenticeships and direct employment. For the 2023/24 leaver cohort, 66% progressed to university, 6% to apprenticeships, 9% to employment, and 3% to further education. This is a helpful overall snapshot for families who want both “Plan A” and “Plan B” outcomes to be normalised.

For families focused on the most selective routes, Oxbridge outcomes are present but limited. Across the measurement period there were 8 applications, 1 offer, and 1 acceptance, which came via Cambridge rather than Oxford. The most useful way to read this is not as a promise of elite admissions, but as evidence that the pathway exists and that students who want it can access guidance and application support.

The sixth-form admissions policy also frames progression as preparation for higher education and employment, with explicit encouragement for voluntary work, enrichment, and leadership opportunities, which tends to matter for competitive courses where personal statements, references, and wider experience influence outcomes.

Year 7 entry is co-ordinated through Walsall’s local authority process, with online applications and a published timetable for the September 2026 intake. For that cycle, the on-time closing date was 31 October 2025 (10pm), and offers were issued by email on 02 March 2026.

Demand data indicates an oversubscribed picture with 390 applications and 255 offers, which equates to roughly 1.53 applications per place. That level of competition is meaningful but not extreme, and it is consistent with an academy that draws strongly from its local area while still being attainable for families who engage early, understand criteria, and list realistic preferences.

If you are shortlisting based on distance, it is still wise to use a precise mapping tool, because local authority allocation outcomes can tighten or loosen year to year depending on applicant distribution. FindMySchool’s Map Search is designed for that kind of comparison.

For sixth form entry in September 2026, the academy published a clear internal and external admissions process. The sixth form admits a maximum of 150 students into Year 12, with at least 10% of places conditionally allocated to external applicants, based on grades, references and interview. Key dates are also explicit, with applications opening on 03 November 2025 and closing on 23 January 2026, followed by interviews in February to March 2026.

Open events follow a recognisable pattern. A Year 7 open evening was held in late September, and families should expect open evenings to commonly sit in that month, with the school website carrying the current year’s detail.

Pastoral structures are clearly defined through form tutors and Heads of Year across Year 7 to sixth form, which helps in a large secondary where consistency is often the difference between “supported” and “lost in the crowd”.

Students with SEND are described as receiving strong support, and the approach is framed as practical and proactive: staff know pupils well, teaching assistants are deployed intentionally, and lesson information is shared in advance so support is aligned with the core teaching rather than bolted on afterwards.

The inspection confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff training, appropriate record-keeping, and routines that support a consistent safeguarding culture.

A school of this size has the advantage of breadth, and Joseph Leckie uses that to offer both enrichment and structured leadership opportunities. One clear example is student voice: more than 200 pupils are involved as school council members, which signals a deliberate attempt to make participation normal rather than reserved for a small group. The implication is a wider pool of pupils developing confidence in speaking up, representing peers, and taking responsibility.

Clubs and activities are not left vague. The school references activities including animal care and poetry writing, alongside subject-based provision such as a drama club and whole-school productions. In English, extracurricular options include book club, film club, and competitions, which reinforces literacy and cultural capital beyond examined content.

The library is a practical asset for study habits. With over 10,000 books, 28 computers, and daily homework help sessions before and after school, it can function as a stabiliser for pupils who may not have ideal study conditions at home. It also hosts clubs such as Origami Club and offers opportunities for students to act as library assistants, which builds responsibility and routine.

Facilities also point to breadth. The academy has a swimming pool, sports hall, badminton courts, and a gymnasium available for community hire, which is usually a good proxy for on-site sport and activity capacity.

The school day runs from 8.30am to 3.00pm, with students expected to be in form rooms by 8.30am, and Period 6 lessons and extracurricular activity taking place after 3.00pm.

A breakfast club is referenced in school materials, and the library is open from 8.00am to 4.00pm on weekdays, which provides structured time for study beyond lessons.

For transport planning, the local authority advises families to consider travel arrangements as part of the secondary application process, and the school has published travel-related guidance over time. Families should check current advice for routes and eligibility, particularly if travel time is a concern.

• Sixth-form outcomes. Sixth-form performance sits below England benchmarks and FindMySchool’s A-level ranking places the provision in the lower-performing band nationally. This does not rule it out, but families should ask how progress is monitored in Year 12, what intervention looks like when students fall behind, and how subject teaching is quality-assured.

• Competition for places. Application data indicates oversubscription, with around 1.53 applications per place. That is manageable, but it still rewards families who apply on time, use realistic preferences, and understand how local authority allocation works.

• A large-school experience. Scale can bring opportunity, but it also requires a child who is comfortable with routines, moving between specialist spaces, and advocating for themselves when they need help. The tutor and Head of Year structure is a strength here, but it is still worth checking how the school spots quieter students who do not naturally ask.

• Sequencing consistency between subjects. External review highlights that curriculum sequencing is strong overall, but not uniformly exceptional in every area. Families with pupils who thrive on highly structured learning should ask subject leaders how they ensure lessons build knowledge step by step.

Joseph Leckie Academy offers a steady, values-led mainstream education with a broad curriculum, a substantial enrichment footprint, and a sixth form that combines academic and vocational routes. It suits families who want a calm culture, clear expectations, and a school large enough to provide varied pathways through to 18. The key decision point is post-16, where families should look closely at subject fit, monitoring, and support, especially for students aiming for higher grades or more selective destinations.