OFSTED
26 May 2022
Latest ungraded inspection
Latest published outcome
School remains Good
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Walsall
Trust
THE MERCIAN TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,629
1,629 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
787
48.3% of pupils
Male pupils
842
51.7% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
3.1 pts
above England
School
27.9%
Walsall
36.6%
West Midlands
30.6%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
11.3 pts
below England
School
9.0%
Walsall
24.3%
West Midlands
22.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.0 pts
below England
School
0.0%
Walsall
0.4%
West Midlands
0.6%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
55.6%
906
Pakistani
13.8%
224
Indian
6.9%
112
African
3.9%
64
Any other Asian background
3.9%
64
White and Black Caribbean
2.9%
47
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
13.4%
218 of
1,629 pupils
7.4 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
4.5 pts
below
England
6.0%
3.0 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
45.2
6.0 pts
above England
Latest published: -0.28 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
9.00%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
2.78 pts
higher than
England
School
9.00%
Walsall
6.88%
West Midlands
6.28%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
25.84%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
10.02 pts
higher than
England
School
25.84%
Walsall
19.49%
West Midlands
16.42%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
4.11%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
2.30 pts
higher than
England
School
4.11%
Walsall
1.95%
West Midlands
1.82%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
109.4%
17.1 pts
above England
Aldridge School - A Science College
109.4%
Walsall
105.0%
West Midlands
94.1%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.