School profile

Fairfax

Secondary · Academy converter · Sutton Coldfield, B75 7JT

Good

Map showing Fairfax

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,218 of 3,312

Better than 63% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,207 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Fairfax Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 21 May 2024

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,581
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Sean Castle
TrustFAIRFAX MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityBirmingham
Opened01 Jul 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136908.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolBirminghamEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.48.5, better than England, similar to Birmingham46.846.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.70.2%, better than England, better than Birmingham64.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.52.8%, better than England, better than Birmingham47.7%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.12.7%, similar to England, worse than Birmingham16.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths66.3%, better than England, better than Birmingham59.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4252--

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

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolBirminghamEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.34.16, similar to England, similar to Birmingham34.8835
Average A-level gradeC+--
Average points, best three A-levels35.47, similar to England, similar to Birmingham35.9335.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB---
AAB or better7.7%, worse than England, worse than Birmingham21.9%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.38, better than England--
A-level progressWell above average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study130--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,581
Girls872
Boys709
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.20.7%
First language not English7.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,582
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0.1%
Sixth form places2024/25274
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.205
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.26
Average class size24.6

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
68.1%
White and Black Caribbean
3.9%
African
3.8%
Chinese
3.4%
Pakistani
2.9%
Other mixed
2.8%
Caribbean
2.7%
Indian
2.6%
Other White
2.4%
White and Asian
1.5%

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 teacher19.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13.8
Teachers (FTE)81.9
Teaching assistants (FTE)13
Support staff (FTE)48.17
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2582.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2569.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/256.5
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255.8

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.263
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.1,453
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.238
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.219
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)29

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 schoolBirminghamEngland
Overall absence6.8%, better than England, better than Birmingham7.5%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.18.4%, better than England, better than Birmingham22.2%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.5%, better than England, better than Birmingham3.1%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 rate5.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions3.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0.4%
Permanent exclusions6

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.94.8%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.89.6%
School sixth form53.5%
Further education34.9%
Apprenticeship3.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.3%
Employment1.9%
Sixth form college1.1%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.87.3%
Higher education65.1%
Employment12.7%
Apprenticeship8.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.8.7%
Further education0.8%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 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 Fairfax
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miSecondaryThe Royal Sutton SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.2 miPrimaryHollyfield Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryHoly Cross Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryNew Hall Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryWhitehouse Common Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryTown House Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Unrated
0.9 miSecondaryPlantsbrook SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimaryManey Hill Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miSecondaryBishop Walsh Catholic SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miSecondaryBishop Vesey's Grammar SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about Fairfax

What is Fairfax's Ofsted rating?

Fairfax is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 21 May 2024.

How does Fairfax rank in England?

Fairfax ranks 1,218 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 63% of schools) and 1,207 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are Fairfax's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 52.8% of pupils at Fairfax got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 48.5 (England 46.2).

What are Fairfax's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Fairfax was C+, and 7.7% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Fairfax?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Fairfax made 263 offers from 1,453 applications (5.5 per offer), and 219 of 238 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Fairfax?

Fairfax has 1,581 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Fairfax?

Fairfax had 1,582 school places in 2024/25.

Does Fairfax have a sixth form?

Yes, Fairfax has a sixth form with 274 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Fairfax?

At Fairfax, the average class had 24.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 19.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Fairfax?

In 2025/26, pupils at Fairfax missed 6.8% of sessions (England 8%), and 18.4% 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.