Holyhead School
Secondary · Academy converter · Ages 11–18 · Birmingham
Holyhead School is a secondary school in Birmingham for ages 11–18 (academy converter). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Standards maintained, from the inspection on 21 May 2025. Birmingham has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2021 to 2026 entry.
Open on the map Unlock with a pass · £9.99
Key facts
- Address
- Milestone Lane, Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 0HN
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–18
- Sector
- See recorded establishment type
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Birmingham
- Pupils on roll
- 1,257 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 62.6% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 15.1
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Standards maintained Inspected 21 May 2025
Strengths
- “Holyhead School is a place where everyone is valued and included.”
- “The school’s work to support all pupils’ development, especially disadvantaged pupils, is a strength.”
- “Pupils understand and follow the school values of ‘respect, responsibility, excellence and courage’.”
To improve
- “In the past, in some subjects, some pupils have not achieved as well as they could.”
- “However, sometimes teaching does not check pupils’ understanding well enough and misunderstandings or key gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not addressed consistently.”
- “As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 24 June 2025 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 33% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 43.2 | 46 |
| A level average grade (2024/25) | C+ | B- |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 205 first-preference applications, 209 offers in total, 188 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Last distance offered and catchment
A one-off £9.99 pass, no subscription, unlocks for 3 months:
- Last distance offered for Year 7 2021 to 2026, as Birmingham published it, drawn on the map
- Earlier years of applications and offers
- Earlier years of exam results
- Where pupils go after they leave
- Crime, sold prices, broadband and transport around the school
A last distance offered describes one past year and is not a catchment or a promise of a place. Check with the council before you apply.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Birmingham.
- King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys 0.6 mi Good Last distance published
- St John Wall Catholic School 0.8 mi Good Last distance published
- King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy 1.0 mi Not judged Last distance published
- King Edward VI Handsworth School 1.0 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Hamstead Hall Academy 1.7 mi Good Last distance published
- Nishkam High School 1.8 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Holte School 1.9 mi Good Last distance published
- Jewellery Quarter Academy 2.0 mi Not judged Last distance published