Dear Parents and Carers,
I am writing to inform you that, at the end of the Easter term (Module 4), I will be leaving my role as Principal of Leigh Stationers’ Academy.
This has not been an easy decision. Leigh Stationers’ Academy is an exceptional school, and I am immensely proud of what our community has achieved together. Each week, as I write our Friday latest news updates, I am continually blown away by what our pupils achieve and the opportunities they seize with confidence and enthusiasm. The breadth and depth of what happens at the academy week in, week out is remarkable.
There are so many achievements to be proud of. Over the past three years:
- Attendance has improved by 2.2% and is now significantly above local and national averages.
- Behaviour and culture across the academy have been transformed.
- Year 7 first-choice preferences have increased by 40%, and the academy is now significantly oversubscribed on first-choice preferences alone.
- Our sixth form has grown from 210 to 315 students.
- External reviews, including Challenge Partners, have recognised the strength of our leadership, curriculum and culture, identifying the academy as ‘Leading in All Areas’.
- Pupils have taken part in over 100 trips and 50 residential visits.
- 475 Key Stage 3 pupils achieved Gold Reward Status at the end of last year.
- In summer 2025, our students achieved the academy’s strongest-ever GCSE outcomes, placing us fourth in the local authority for the percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in both English and mathematics.
When visitors come to Leigh Stationers’ Academy, which happens regularly, I am always proud to show them around. They consistently comment on how calm, purposeful and welcoming the academy feels, and on the strong relationships between staff and pupils.
At the heart of all of this is our shared vision: a community where no student is left behind. I have seen this lived out daily, in classrooms, corridors and co-curricular opportunities, and in the genuine care shown for every young person. Our small school model ensures pupils are truly known and supported in a way I have rarely seen elsewhere, thanks in no small part to the commitment and expertise of our pastoral teams.
I would like to thank Leigh Academies Trust for its unwavering support, challenge and belief in both me and the academy. The Trust’s support and partnership have been instrumental in enabling the academy to flourish and go from strength to strength. I am also deeply grateful to The Stationers’ Company for its continued commitment to our school. Their support extends beyond additional funding to mentoring, enrichment and opportunities for our students that would not otherwise be available. They have also supported me personally, and I am proud to be the first Principal of Leigh Stationers’ Academy to serve as a Liveryman of The Stationers’ Company.
I am immensely thankful to our dedicated staff, whose professionalism, care and ambition make this such a special place to learn and work. It is their expertise, consistency and unwavering belief in our young people that has driven the academy’s rapid improvement and helped our students achieve the best results in the academy’s history. To our parents and carers, thank you for the trust you place in us every day and for the strong partnership that underpins your children’s success.
Most importantly, I want to thank our students. It has been a privilege to serve as their Principal. Their kindness, resilience, ambition and sense of community are what make Leigh Stationers’ Academy exceptional. They are, and always will be, the very best of this school.
After more than half a decade in headship, and over ten years working at senior leadership level, I have reached a point where I need to make a personal decision. Just as I have always been committed to ensuring that no student is left behind, I now need to ensure that I am not leaving two children behind – my own. I have a six-year-old and a three-year-old, and I am taking on a role that will allow me to spend significantly more time at home with my family. From Easter, I will be joining Ofsted as one of His Majesty’s Inspectors. This will allow me to continue contributing to the education system in a different way, while creating the balance my family needs at this stage of my life.
I have loved every minute of my time at Leigh Stationers’ Academy. I leave knowing that the school is in an exceptional position, with a talented and stable staff body, wonderful students and a clear sense of purpose and direction. I am confident that the academy is ready for its next chapter and for a new Principal to take forward an already exceptional school.
Thank you for your continued support and for being such an important part of the Leigh Stationers’ Academy community.
Best wishes,
Mr Joseph Sparks
Principal
