School profile

Holyhead School

Secondary · Academy converter · Birmingham, B21 0HN

Good

Map showing Holyhead School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,069 of 3,312

Worse than 62% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,326 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Holyhead School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 4 Feb 2020

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,257
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr David Knox
TrustCENTRAL REGION SCHOOLS TRUST
Local authorityBirmingham
Opened01 Aug 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137034.

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.43.6, worse than England, worse than Birmingham46.846.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.63.4%, similar to England, similar to Birmingham64.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.41%, worse than England, worse than Birmingham47.7%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.8.3%, worse than England, worse than Birmingham16.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths53.2%, worse than England, worse than Birmingham59.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4205--

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 10.33.4, similar to England, similar to Birmingham34.8835
Average A-level gradeC+--
Average points, best three A-levels31.9, worse than England, worse than Birmingham35.9335.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better9.5%, worse than England, worse than Birmingham21.9%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.17, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study96--
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 pupils1,257
Girls584
Boys673
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.62.6%
First language not English74.6%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,250
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
Sixth form places2024/25200
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.334
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.5
Average class size22.7

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

Pakistani
21.6%
Bangladeshi
17.9%
Indian
17.7%
African
10.1%
Caribbean
6.8%
Other White
6.2%
Other ethnic group
4.9%
Other mixed
4.7%
Other Black
2.5%
Other Asian
2%

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 teacher15.1
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.5
Teachers (FTE)83.35
Teaching assistants (FTE)9.62
Support staff (FTE)59.48
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2581.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2574.9
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/256.2

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.209
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.711
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.205
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.188
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)18

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 absence7.3%, better than England, similar to Birmingham7.5%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.19.8%, similar to England, better than Birmingham22.2%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.3%, 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 rate12.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions9.5%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
Permanent exclusions2

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.92.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.92.7%
School sixth form51%
Further education39.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.4.9%
Sixth form college2.4%
Apprenticeship0%
Employment0%

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.81.2%
Higher education62.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.14.9%
Employment9.9%
Further education1%
Apprenticeship0%

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 Holyhead School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimarySt James Church of England Primary School, HandsworthVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryOasis Academy BoultonAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.5 miPrimaryOasis Academy WattvilleAcademy sponsor led
Inadequate
0.5 miPrimaryJames Watt Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryWilliam Murdoch Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryRookery SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.5 miSecondaryWindsor Olympus AcademyFree schools
Unrated
0.6 miPrimaryGrove SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 miSecondaryKing Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for BoysAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimarySt Augustine's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Holyhead School

What is Holyhead School's Ofsted rating?

Holyhead School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 4 Feb 2020.

How does Holyhead School rank in England?

Holyhead School ranks 2,069 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 62% of schools) and 1,326 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are Holyhead School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 41% of pupils at Holyhead School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 43.6 (England 46.2).

What are Holyhead School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Holyhead School was C+, and 9.5% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Holyhead School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Holyhead School made 209 offers from 711 applications (3.4 per offer), and 188 of 205 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Holyhead School?

Holyhead School has 1,257 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Holyhead School?

Holyhead School had 1,250 school places in 2024/25.

Does Holyhead School have a sixth form?

Yes, Holyhead School has a sixth form with 200 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Holyhead School?

At Holyhead School, the average class had 22.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.1 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Holyhead School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Holyhead School missed 7.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 19.8% 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.