OFSTED
3 July 2023
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Good
OEIF
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour & attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership & management
Good
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Free schools alternative provision
Phase
Not applicable
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
62
62 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
20
32.3% of pupils
Male pupils
42
67.7% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
34.9 pts
above England
School
59.7%
Walsall
36.6%
West Midlands
30.6%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
20.3 pts
below England
School
0.0%
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
62.9%
39
White and Black Caribbean
12.9%
8
Pakistani
6.5%
4
Caribbean
4.8%
3
Any other White background
3.2%
2
Unclassified
3.2%
2
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
50.0%
31 of
62 pupils
29.2 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
9.4 pts
above
England
6.0%
19.8 pts
above
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.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open not applicable schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
51.7%
28.1 pts
below England
The Ladder School
51.7%
Walsall
94.3%
West Midlands
76.9%
England
79.8%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.