School profile

Smestow Academy

Secondary · Academy converter · Wolverhampton, WV3 8HU

Good

Map showing Smestow Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,205 of 3,312

Better than 63% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,188 of 2,536

Worse than 86% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Smestow Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 11 Nov 2025

Area360 rating
Good
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Strong standard
Post-16 provision
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils589
GenderMixed
Head teacherMr Ian Chamberlain
TrustMATRIX ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityWolverhampton
Opened01 Jan 2023
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 149635.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolWolverhamptonEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.48.6, better than England, better than Wolverhampton45.246.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.61.9%, similar to England, similar to Wolverhampton61.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.47.8%, similar to England, better than Wolverhampton43.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.15%, similar to England, similar to Wolverhampton13.1%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths61.9%, similar to England, better than Wolverhampton58.1%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4113--

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 schoolWolverhamptonEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.26.47, worse than England, worse than Wolverhampton31.4935
Average A-level gradeC---
Average grade, best three A-levelsc--
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.01, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study17--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit--

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 pupils589
Girls295
Boys294
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.57.9%
First language not English37.7%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,010
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.41.7%
Sixth form places2024/25200
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.67
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.8
Average class size22.6

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
22.1%
Indian
18%
African
9.2%
Other White
7.3%
White and Black Caribbean
6.3%
Pakistani
5.9%
Other mixed
5.6%
Other ethnic group
4.4%
Other Asian
4.1%
Other Black
2.9%

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 teacher13.1
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.2
Teachers (FTE)45
Teaching assistants (FTE)7.63
Support staff (FTE)26.05
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2546.4
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2540.6
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254.6
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/251.2

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.85
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.186
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.40
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.40
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)5

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 schoolWolverhamptonEngland
Overall absence8.6%, worse than England, worse than Wolverhampton7.3%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.27.5%, worse than England, worse than Wolverhampton20.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.3%, worse than England, worse than Wolverhampton2.8%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 rate31.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions13.4%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

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.95.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.92.4%
School sixth form47.8%
Further education38%
Sixth form college5.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.4.3%
Employment2.2%
Apprenticeship1.1%

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.86.2%
Higher education79.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.10.3%
Apprenticeship3.4%
Employment3.4%
Further education0%

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 Smestow Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryCastlecroft Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryBhylls Acre Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryWestacre Infant SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryChrist Church (Church of England) Infant and Nursery SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Outstanding
0.8 miPrimaryUplands Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Unrated
0.9 miPrimarySt Michael's Catholic Primary Academy and NurseryAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimaryChrist Church (Church of England) Junior SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
1.0 miSecondarySt Peter's Collegiate AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimaryWoodthorne Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miSecondaryHighfields SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Smestow Academy

What is Smestow Academy's Ofsted rating?

Smestow Academy is rated Good, last inspected on 11 Nov 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Smestow Academy rank in England?

Smestow Academy ranks 1,205 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 63% of schools) and 2,188 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 86% of schools).

What are Smestow Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 47.8% of pupils at Smestow Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 48.6 (England 46.2).

What are Smestow Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Smestow Academy was C-.

How hard is it to get into Smestow Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Smestow Academy made 85 offers from 186 applications (2.2 per offer), and 40 of 40 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Smestow Academy?

Smestow Academy has 589 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Smestow Academy?

Smestow Academy had 1,010 school places in 2024/25.

Does Smestow Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, Smestow Academy has a sixth form with 200 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Smestow Academy?

At Smestow Academy, the average class had 22.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 13.1 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Smestow Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Smestow Academy missed 8.6% of sessions (England 8%), and 27.5% 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.