School profile

Belfairs Academy

Secondary · Academy converter · Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 3TG

Requires improvement

Map showing Belfairs Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,660 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#2,317 of 2,536

Worse than 91% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Belfairs Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 28 Apr 2026

Area360 rating
Requires improvement
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Needs attention
Post-16 provision
Needs attention
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,558
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Beverley Williams
TrustLEGRA ACADEMY TRUST
Local authoritySouthend-on-Sea
Opened01 Jun 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 138174.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolSouthend-on-SeaEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.45.9, similar to England, worse than Southend-on-Sea51.946.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.71.8%, better than England, similar to Southend-on-Sea71.7%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.39.9%, worse than England, worse than Southend-on-Sea54.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.6.5%, worse than England, worse than Southend-on-Sea24.3%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths66.7%, better than England, similar to Southend-on-Sea69.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4291--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolSouthend-on-SeaEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.24.52, worse than England, worse than Southend-on-Sea37.7135
Average A-level gradeD+--
Average points, best three A-levels26.81, worse than England, worse than Southend-on-Sea38.935.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC---
AAB or better0%, worse than England, worse than Southend-on-Sea21.7%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.43, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study83--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,558
Girls784
Boys774
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.22.3%
First language not English6.5%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,700
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.8.4%
Sixth form places2024/25240
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.166
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.35
Average class size23.8

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
77.7%
Other White
5.6%
African
2.8%
White and Black Caribbean
2.4%
Other mixed
1.4%
Indian
1.3%
Other ethnic group
1.3%
White and Asian
1.2%
Other Asian
1.2%
Bangladeshi
1%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher18.4
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13.6
Teachers (FTE)84.6
Teaching assistants (FTE)17.41
Support staff (FTE)52.29
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2577.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2572.6
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/251

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.272
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.680
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.129
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.129
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)74

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolSouthend-on-SeaEngland
Overall absence9.4%, worse than England, worse than Southend-on-Sea7.1%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.25.7%, worse than England, worse than Southend-on-Sea18.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.6%, similar to England, worse than Southend-on-Sea3%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate3.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions2.1%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.93.8%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.90.6%
Further education50.7%
School sixth form39.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.3%
Apprenticeship2.5%
Employment0.7%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.92.1%
Employment44.9%
Higher education39.3%
Apprenticeship6.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.5.6%
Further education1.1%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Belfairs Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miNot applicableSt. Michael's SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.4 miPrimaryWest Leigh Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryWest Leigh Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.8 miPrimaryFairways Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryLeigh North Street Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimaryBlenheim Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.1 miPrimaryDarlinghurst AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimaryHadleigh Infant and Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miPrimaryHadleigh Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miSecondaryWestcliff High School for GirlsAcademy converter
Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about Belfairs Academy

What is Belfairs Academy's Ofsted rating?

Belfairs Academy is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 28 Apr 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Belfairs Academy rank in England?

Belfairs Academy ranks 1,660 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools) and 2,317 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 91% of schools).

What are Belfairs Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 39.9% of pupils at Belfairs Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 45.9 (England 46.2).

What are Belfairs Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Belfairs Academy was D+, and 0% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Belfairs Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Belfairs Academy made 272 offers from 680 applications (2.5 per offer), and 129 of 129 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Belfairs Academy?

Belfairs Academy has 1,558 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Belfairs Academy?

Belfairs Academy had 1,700 school places in 2024/25.

Does Belfairs Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, Belfairs Academy has a sixth form with 240 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Belfairs Academy?

At Belfairs Academy, the average class had 23.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 18.4 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Belfairs Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Belfairs Academy missed 9.4% of sessions (England 8%), and 25.7% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.