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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.

RankSchool nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
1Mary Elliot AcademyAcademy special sponsor ledMixed+0.75Inadequate-
2Brownhills Ormiston AcademyAcademy converterMixed+0.47Good4.18%
3Emmanuel SchoolOther independent schoolMixed+0.32-24.14%
4Barr Beacon SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.29Good19.31%
5Blue Coat Church of England AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+0.25Good11.33%
6Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan AcademyOther independent schoolMixed-0.03-37.89%
7Bloxwich AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.19Good4.73%
8Aldridge School - A Science CollegeAcademy converterMixed-0.25Good18.35%
9St Francis of Assisi Catholic CollegeVoluntary aided schoolMixed-0.28Good18.65%
10Shire Oak AcademyAcademy converterMixed-0.45-6.38%
11Walsall AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.46Requires improvement15.32%
12Joseph Leckie AcademyAcademy converterMixed-1.28Good15.11%
13Ormiston Shelfield Community AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-1.29Good6.6%
14West Walsall E-ACT AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-2.68Good11.7%

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.

RankSchool nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
1Queen Mary's High SchoolAcademy converterGirls-Outstanding68.28%
2Queen Mary's Grammar SchoolAcademy converterBoys-Outstanding65.14%
3Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan AcademyOther independent schoolMixed-0.03-37.89%
4Hydesville Tower SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--31.43%
5Abu Bakr Boys SchoolOther independent schoolBoys--26.88%
6Emmanuel SchoolOther independent schoolMixed+0.32-24.14%
7Barr Beacon SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.29Good19.31%
8St Francis of Assisi Catholic CollegeVoluntary aided schoolMixed-0.28Good18.65%
9Aldridge School - A Science CollegeAcademy converterMixed-0.25Good18.35%
10Walsall AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.46Requires improvement15.32%
11Cheslyn Hay AcademyAcademy converterMixed-Good15.25%
12Joseph Leckie AcademyAcademy converterMixed-1.28Good15.11%
13West Walsall E-ACT AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-2.68Good11.7%
14Blue Coat Church of England AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+0.25Good11.33%
15Great Wyrley AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-Good9.97%
16Ormiston Shelfield Community AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-1.29Good6.6%
17Shire Oak AcademyAcademy converterMixed-0.45-6.38%
18Bloxwich AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.19Good4.73%
19Brownhills Ormiston AcademyAcademy converterMixed+0.47Good4.18%
20Walsall Studio SchoolStudio schoolsMixed--1.73%
21Elmwood SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed-Good0%

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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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 nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan AcademyOther independent schoolMixed-0.03-37.89%
Abu Bakr Boys SchoolOther independent schoolBoys--26.88%
Aldridge School - A Science CollegeAcademy converterMixed-0.25Good18.35%
Barr Beacon SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.29Good19.31%
Bescot HallOther independent special schoolMixed---
Bloxwich AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.19Good4.73%
Blue Coat Church of England AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+0.25Good11.33%
Brownhills Ormiston AcademyAcademy converterMixed+0.47Good4.18%
Castle SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed---
Cherry Tree SchoolOther independent special schoolMixed---
Cheslyn Hay AcademyAcademy converterMixed-Good15.25%
Elmwood SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed-Good0%
Emmanuel SchoolOther independent schoolMixed+0.32-24.14%
Great Wyrley AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-Good9.97%
Hydesville Tower SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--31.43%
Jane Lane SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed-Good-
Joseph Leckie AcademyAcademy converterMixed-1.28Good15.11%
Mary Elliot AcademyAcademy special sponsor ledMixed+0.75Inadequate-
Oakwood SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed---
Oakwood SchoolAcademy special converterMixed-Outstanding-
Ormiston Shelfield Community AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-1.29Good6.6%
Queen Mary's Grammar SchoolAcademy converterBoys-Outstanding65.14%
Queen Mary's High SchoolAcademy converterGirls-Outstanding68.28%
Ryecroft SchoolOther independent special schoolMixed---
Shire Oak AcademyAcademy converterMixed-0.45-6.38%
St Francis of Assisi Catholic CollegeVoluntary aided schoolMixed-0.28Good18.65%
Walsall AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.46Requires improvement15.32%
Walsall Studio SchoolStudio schoolsMixed--1.73%
West Midlands Education and SkillsOther independent special schoolMixed---
West Walsall E-ACT AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-2.68Good11.7%

Source

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.

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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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FAQs - best secondary schools in Walsall

Based on the latest Department for Education CSP data, the highest-rated secondary school in Walsall is Mary Elliot Academy by Progress 8 and Queen Mary's High School by GCSE 9–7 results. In the case of an exact tie across these measures, the first school in alphabetical order is shown here. For full details and to compare all schools, please refer to the performance tables above.
No. This guide covers state-funded secondary schools only, including grammar, comprehensive, academy, and free schools. Independent/private schools are not included in our rankings.
Applications are usually managed by West Midlands County Council. You can find deadlines, admissions policies, and catchment area maps on the council’s official website.
Use Ofsted inspection reports, the Department for Education’s CSP performance tables, and our rankings to compare schools side by side. Visit schools during open days for first-hand impressions.
Ofsted rates secondary schools as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate. Outstanding secondary schools excel in teaching quality, student behaviour, leadership, and outcomes.
A Progress 8 score above 0 means students make better progress than the national average. Scores above +0.5 indicate well above average progress, while top-performing secondary schools typically achieve +0.7 or higher. The best schools in Walsall consistently score above +0.8.

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