Walsall’s best secondary schools 2025
Trying to find the right school for your child in Walsall? You’re in the right place.
With so many options, many parents find themselves drowning in league tables and Ofsted reports. That’s exactly why we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Our expert team has analysed the latest 2023/2024 Department for Education data to bring you a list of the top-performing state secondary schools in Walsall.
We show two ranking tables, one for Progress 8 and one for GCSE 9–7 results, and also provide a complete list of all secondary schools in Walsall. This full list includes Progress 8 scores, GCSE 9–7 percentages, and Ofsted ratings where available. The schools in this table are ordered alphabetically rather than ranked, so you can easily see every school in one place, even if some data points are missing.
Top secondary schools in Walsall by Progress 8
Mary Elliot Academy is currently ranked #1 in Walsall based on its published Progress 8 score of +0.75. Progress 8 is a headline accountability measure used by the Department for Education to show how much progress pupils make between the end of primary school and their GCSEs, compared to students with similar prior attainment nationally.
Rank | School name | Type | Gender | Progress 8 | Ofsted rating | GCSE 9-7% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mary Elliot Academy | Academy special sponsor led | Mixed | +0.75 | Inadequate | - |
2 | Brownhills Ormiston Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.47 | Good | 4.18% |
3 | Emmanuel School | Other independent school | Mixed | +0.32 | - | 24.14% |
4 | Barr Beacon School | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.29 | Good | 19.31% |
5 | Blue Coat Church of England Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | +0.25 | Good | 11.33% |
6 | Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy | Other independent school | Mixed | -0.03 | - | 37.89% |
7 | Bloxwich Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.19 | Good | 4.73% |
8 | Aldridge School - A Science College | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.25 | Good | 18.35% |
9 | St Francis of Assisi Catholic College | Voluntary aided school | Mixed | -0.28 | Good | 18.65% |
10 | Shire Oak Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.45 | - | 6.38% |
11 | Walsall Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.46 | Requires improvement | 15.32% |
12 | Joseph Leckie Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -1.28 | Good | 15.11% |
13 | Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -1.29 | Good | 6.6% |
14 | West Walsall E-ACT Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -2.68 | Good | 11.7% |
Note: Rankings use 2023/2024 CSP data for state-funded schools and may not reflect recent changes, check school websites for the latest information.
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Top secondary schools in Walsall by GCSE % 9–7
Queen Mary's High School is currently ranked #1 in Walsall based on the percentage of GCSE grades awarded at 9–7. This measure highlights how many pupils achieve the very top exam results, giving a clear picture of each school’s academic excellence.
Rank | School name | Type | Gender | Progress 8 | Ofsted rating | GCSE 9-7% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Queen Mary's High School | Academy converter | Girls | - | Outstanding | 68.28% |
2 | Queen Mary's Grammar School | Academy converter | Boys | - | Outstanding | 65.14% |
3 | Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy | Other independent school | Mixed | -0.03 | - | 37.89% |
4 | Hydesville Tower School | Other independent school | Mixed | - | - | 31.43% |
5 | Abu Bakr Boys School | Other independent school | Boys | - | - | 26.88% |
6 | Emmanuel School | Other independent school | Mixed | +0.32 | - | 24.14% |
7 | Barr Beacon School | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.29 | Good | 19.31% |
8 | St Francis of Assisi Catholic College | Voluntary aided school | Mixed | -0.28 | Good | 18.65% |
9 | Aldridge School - A Science College | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.25 | Good | 18.35% |
10 | Walsall Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.46 | Requires improvement | 15.32% |
11 | Cheslyn Hay Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Good | 15.25% |
12 | Joseph Leckie Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -1.28 | Good | 15.11% |
13 | West Walsall E-ACT Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -2.68 | Good | 11.7% |
14 | Blue Coat Church of England Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | +0.25 | Good | 11.33% |
15 | Great Wyrley Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | - | Good | 9.97% |
16 | Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -1.29 | Good | 6.6% |
17 | Shire Oak Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.45 | - | 6.38% |
18 | Bloxwich Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.19 | Good | 4.73% |
19 | Brownhills Ormiston Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.47 | Good | 4.18% |
20 | Walsall Studio School | Studio schools | Mixed | - | - | 1.73% |
21 | Elmwood School | Community special school | Mixed | - | Good | 0% |
Note: Rankings use 2023/2024 CSP data for state-funded schools and may not reflect recent changes, check school websites for the latest information.
All secondary schools in Walsall
Below is the complete list of secondary schools in Walsall, including both state-funded and independent schools where data is available. This table provides an at-a-glance view of each school’s key performance metrics, including Progress 8 scores, the percentage of GCSE grades awarded at 9–7, and Ofsted ratings, where published.
School name | Type | Gender | Progress 8 | Ofsted rating | GCSE 9-7% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy | Other independent school | Mixed | -0.03 | - | 37.89% |
Abu Bakr Boys School | Other independent school | Boys | - | - | 26.88% |
Aldridge School - A Science College | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.25 | Good | 18.35% |
Barr Beacon School | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.29 | Good | 19.31% |
Bescot Hall | Other independent special school | Mixed | - | - | - |
Bloxwich Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.19 | Good | 4.73% |
Blue Coat Church of England Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | +0.25 | Good | 11.33% |
Brownhills Ormiston Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.47 | Good | 4.18% |
Castle School | Community special school | Mixed | - | - | - |
Cherry Tree School | Other independent special school | Mixed | - | - | - |
Cheslyn Hay Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Good | 15.25% |
Elmwood School | Community special school | Mixed | - | Good | 0% |
Emmanuel School | Other independent school | Mixed | +0.32 | - | 24.14% |
Great Wyrley Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | - | Good | 9.97% |
Hydesville Tower School | Other independent school | Mixed | - | - | 31.43% |
Jane Lane School | Community special school | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Joseph Leckie Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -1.28 | Good | 15.11% |
Mary Elliot Academy | Academy special sponsor led | Mixed | +0.75 | Inadequate | - |
Oakwood School | Community special school | Mixed | - | - | - |
Oakwood School | Academy special converter | Mixed | - | Outstanding | - |
Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -1.29 | Good | 6.6% |
Queen Mary's Grammar School | Academy converter | Boys | - | Outstanding | 65.14% |
Queen Mary's High School | Academy converter | Girls | - | Outstanding | 68.28% |
Ryecroft School | Other independent special school | Mixed | - | - | - |
Shire Oak Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.45 | - | 6.38% |
St Francis of Assisi Catholic College | Voluntary aided school | Mixed | -0.28 | Good | 18.65% |
Walsall Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.46 | Requires improvement | 15.32% |
Walsall Studio School | Studio schools | Mixed | - | - | 1.73% |
West Midlands Education and Skills | Other independent special school | Mixed | - | - | - |
West Walsall E-ACT Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -2.68 | Good | 11.7% |
Disclaimer
All data on this page is sourced from the Department for Education’s 2023/2024 Compare School Performance dataset. It includes state-funded and, where available, independent secondary schools. Some schools may be missing data for Progress 8 scores, GCSE 9–7 results, or Ofsted ratings due to unpublished or unavailable figures. Rankings are based only on schools with published data and may not reflect recent changes. Please check school websites for the latest information.How we ranked the best schools in Walsall?
Why trust our rankings? Our analysis is based on the latest 2023/2024 data from the Department for Education’s Compare School Performance (CSP) database, which publishes official performance data for all secondary schools in England, including both state-funded and independent schools where available.
We’ve created separate tables to highlight top performers in three key areas:
- Progress 8 (pupil progress from KS2 to GCSE)
- GCSE 9–7 grades (academic excellence)
- Overall school listings, with available Ofsted ratings
Schools are primarily ranked by their Progress 8 score. This clever metric doesn’t just reward schools with high-attaining intakes – it highlights the ones that genuinely support student growth by measuring progress from the end of primary school to GCSEs. It adjusts for prior attainment, making it one of the fairest ways to compare schools.
Where available, we also show the percentage of GCSE grades at 9–7 to reflect high academic achievement, and Ofsted ratings for added context. All figures come directly from CSP’s official dataset.
Where Progress 8 data is not available for any schools in Walsall, the corresponding table will not be shown. This simply means that no schools in this area had published Progress 8 scores at the time of the latest dataset, it does not reflect on the quality of the schools themselves.
How to support your child at home
Helping your child succeed at school doesn’t just happen in the classroom, the right support at home can make a big difference. Encourage a regular study routine, provide a quiet space for learning, and take an interest in what they’re covering in lessons. Even small actions, like checking in on homework or discussing what they learned that day, can build motivation and accountability.
If you’re looking for extra structure, our GCSE Revision Resources are designed to make studying easier. With expert-written notes, topic-by-topic exam questions, and mark schemes, your child can practise exactly what they need to know, when they need to know it.
Boosting confidence before exams
Confidence can make a huge difference to exam performance. Start by helping your child identify their strengths and weaknesses, then focus revision time on areas that need improvement. Practising under timed conditions can reduce exam-day nerves, while celebrating small wins along the way builds self-belief.
Our GCSE Exam Practice pages include hundreds of past-paper style questions and worked solutions, so students can walk into their exams knowing exactly what to expect. By building familiarity with the question styles and formats, they’ll feel prepared and ready to perform at their best.
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