Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet is a mainstream secondary school in Swanscombe, Kent, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 117 of its 788 pupils (14.8%) were getting SEN support and 14 (1.8%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 788 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Kent.
14.8% get SEN support
117 of 788 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
1.8% have an EHC plan
14 of 788 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health40
- Speech, language and communication26
- Autism24
- Moderate learning difficulty11
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia8
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 788 (places for 780)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Heidi Dennis (Principal)
- Part of
- Leigh Academies Trust
- Free school meals
- 37.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Kent
- School reference (URN)
- 137581
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Kent council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, October 2019; improved significantly (December 2024)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in October 2019.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Improved significantly (ungraded inspection, December 2024).
Contact and getting there
Southfleet Road, Swanscombe, DA10 0BZ
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Ebbsfleet Green Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.5 miles
- Pier View Academy Independent · Ages 11–25 · Ofsted: Good 2.7 miles
- OA - North View Independent · Ages 9–14 2.8 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet
How many pupils at Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 117 of the 788 pupils (14.8%) were getting SEN support and 14 (1.8%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (40 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (26 pupils) and autism (24 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet?
Through Kent council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet?
You can ask for Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Ebbsfleet Green Primary School, about 0.4 miles away.
Where is Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet?
Southfleet Road, Swanscombe, DA10 0BZ, in Kent.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.