School profile

John Smeaton Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Leeds, LS15 8TA

Good

Map showing John Smeaton Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#3,008 of 3,312

Worse than 90% of schools in England

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

John Smeaton Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 30 Apr 2024

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 18
Pupils677
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherSir John Townsley
TrustTHE GORSE ACADEMIES TRUST
Local authorityLeeds
Opened01 Sept 2021
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 148793.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolLeedsEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.36.9, worse than England, worse than Leeds46.546.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.48.5%, worse than England, worse than Leeds65.7%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.28.2%, worse than England, worse than Leeds48.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.3.9%, worse than England, worse than Leeds14.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths46.6%, worse than England, worse than Leeds61.6%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4103--

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

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils677
Girls320
Boys357
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.40.9%
First language not English10.2%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,100
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.38.5%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.90
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.52
Average class size20.9

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
76.4%
African
4.3%
Other ethnic group
3.5%
Other White
1.8%
Other mixed
1.3%
White and Black Caribbean
1.2%
Chinese
1.2%
Other Asian
1%
White and Black African
0.9%
Pakistani
0.7%

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 teacher17.1
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.5
Teachers (FTE)39.6
Teaching assistants (FTE)13.41
Support staff (FTE)34.41
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2532
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2521.6
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253.4
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/257

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.166
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.438
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.156
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.149
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)1

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 schoolLeedsEngland
Overall absence11.2%, worse than England, worse than Leeds8.5%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.29.5%, worse than England, worse than Leeds22.3%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.7.2%, worse than England, worse than Leeds4.6%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 rate58.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions15.7%
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.79.6%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.73.5%
Further education53.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.13.6%
Sixth form college12.2%
School sixth form6.1%
Employment3.4%
Apprenticeship2.7%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 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 John Smeaton Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.5 miPrimaryManston PrimaryCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryManston St James Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimarySt Theresa's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.7 miPrimarySwarcliffe Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryScholes (Elmet) Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryGrimes Dyke Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
1.1 miSecondaryLeeds East AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
1.2 miPrimaryAusthorpe Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miPrimaryParklands Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
1.3 miPrimaryCross Gates Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good

Frequently asked questions about John Smeaton Academy

What is John Smeaton Academy's Ofsted rating?

John Smeaton Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 30 Apr 2024.

How does John Smeaton Academy rank in England?

John Smeaton Academy ranks 3,008 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 90% of schools).

What are John Smeaton Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 28.2% of pupils at John Smeaton Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 36.9 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into John Smeaton Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, John Smeaton Academy made 166 offers from 438 applications (2.6 per offer), and 149 of 156 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend John Smeaton Academy?

John Smeaton Academy has 677 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of John Smeaton Academy?

John Smeaton Academy had 1,100 school places in 2024/25.

Does John Smeaton Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, John Smeaton Academy teaches students up to age 18.

How big are classes at John Smeaton Academy?

At John Smeaton Academy, the average class had 20.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.1 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at John Smeaton Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at John Smeaton Academy missed 11.2% of sessions (England 8%), and 29.5% 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.