School Chooser

Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School

Secondary · ages 11-18MixedAcademyRoman Catholic807 pupilsSixth formWednesburySandwell
School Chooser Score
20
Below
similar schools
Likely range 15 to 28
Out of 100. Better than 26% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, April 2024
Strong pass in English and maths35%England 46%
Attendance89.3%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families43%Far more than most schools
Places93 spare807 pupils, 900 places
Pupils per teacher15.3School workforce census

Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School is a sponsored academy in Wednesbury for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 807 pupils and room for 900. About 43 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 21 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 26% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

Wood Green Road, Wednesbury, WS10 9QS0121 556 1488stuart-bathurst.org.ukMrs Helen Duffield headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 23 April 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

145 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score41.4
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths35%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths57%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.20In each subject, pupils here finished a little behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 40.040.020182019: 42.642.620192022: 50.150.120222023: 45.245.220232024: 43.643.620242025: 41.441.42025
Since 2018: +1.4Declining overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure20252024202320222019†2018†SandwellEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11145147145143141141
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 841.443.645.250.142.640.042.746.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.20-0.13+0.15-0.19-0.54
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths35%43%46%60%38%32%35%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths57%64%66%72%62%51%57%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score3.283.513.504.053.483.253.684.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry6%8%2%3%6%9%30%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged35.533.440.542.139.732.8
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged47.048.748.853.744.343.9
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers27.627.531.623.622.4
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers57.668.970.656.455.1

† These results are for Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School, the school this one replaced in April 2020. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Subjects

Results came out for 19 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Art and Design (8% here, 58% across England), Social Studies (22% here, 54% across England), History (28% here, 52% across England), Geography (28% here, 51% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, computer science.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics146 entries · 16th of 19 in Sandwell
36%England 53%
English Language146 entries · 6th of 19 in Sandwell
53%England 54%
Religious Studies138 entries · 11th of 16 in Sandwell
52%England 60%
English Literature137 entries · 4th of 19 in Sandwell
63%England 58%
Combined Science114 entries · 17th of 19 in Sandwell
16%England 36%
History86 entries · 16th of 19 in Sandwell
28%England 52%
Business47 entries · 6th of 11 in Sandwell
40%England 51%
Social Studies37 entries · 9th of 9 in Sandwell
22%England 54%
Geography36 entries · 14th of 19 in Sandwell
28%England 51%
Physics28 entries · 11th of 17 in Sandwell
79%England 82%
Biology28 entries · 15th of 17 in Sandwell
64%England 82%
Chemistry28 entries · 14th of 17 in Sandwell
75%England 81%
Art and Design24 entries · 18th of 18 in Sandwell
8%England 58%
Computer Science24 entries · 10th of 15 in Sandwell
38%England 56%
Statistics14 entries
50%England 51%
30%England 52%
Drama10 entries
0%England 60%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics14613%36%58%53%2,721 of 3,211
English Language1469%53%71%54%1,483 of 3,210
Religious Studies13816%52%64%60%1,265 of 1,825
English Literature13716%63%78%58%1,065 of 3,202
Combined Science1144%16%40%36%2,807 of 3,084
History868%28%43%52%2,853 of 3,126
Business479%40%55%51%1,163 of 1,806
Social Studies370%22%54%54%989 of 1,043
Geography363%28%39%51%2,706 of 3,116
Physics2821%79%96%82%1,663 of 2,546
Biology2821%64%96%82%2,144 of 2,570
Chemistry2829%75%96%81%1,771 of 2,537
Art and Design244%8%21%58%2,798 of 2,818
Computer Science2413%38%54%56%1,395 of 1,861
Statistics1436%50%71%51%
Food Preparation & Nutrition100%30%40%52%
Drama100%0%20%60%
French813%38%63%60%
Other Modern Languages70%0%0%49%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

66 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeC30.0 points per entry
A level progress-0.26Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better11%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished0%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure2025202420232022
Students66818286
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry30.0031.5530.4535.58
Average A level gradeCCCB-
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS32.6333.0033.0936.52
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects11%3%4%26%
A level progressA level value added-0.26-0.48
Applied general courses: points per entry36.2230.1329.2932.68
T levels: points per entry41.6729.2333.2629.44
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed0%96%83%100%

A level subjects

9 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsMathematics23Psychology16Sociology14Physics11Chemistry11Biology10Mathematics (Further)8Religious Studies8History6
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Mathematics23 entries · 35% A* or A · 91% passed
61%England 60%
Psychology16 entries · 6% A* or A · 100% passed
44%England 46%
Sociology14 entries · 14% A* or A · 93% passed
21%England 49%
Physics11 entries · 18% A* or A · 91% passed
27%England 51%
Chemistry11 entries · 18% A* or A · 100% passed
27%England 53%
Biology10 entries · 10% A* or A · 90% passed
40%England 49%
Mathematics (Further)8 entries · 25% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 76%
Religious Studies8 entries · 25% A* or A · 88% passed
38%England 50%
History6 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
17%England 55%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. Every gap at this school is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
35.547.0
Gap 11.5England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
25%45%
Gap 19 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
40.042.8
Gap 2.8England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places836 pupils for 984 places, 2024/25
85% full

148 places were empty (15% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 6% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place.

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Secondary15095295all offeredLA
2025 Secondary15086273all offeredLA
2024 Secondary15087278all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll807Census January 2026
Places90090% full
Pupils from low-income families40%43% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English37%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support14%114 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%17 pupils with a plan
Average class size21.137 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils3%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)45%£342,100 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls376 / 431
White British pupils30%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (49), emotional and mental health (43), language and communications needs (13), Autistic spectrum disorder (11), Specific learning difficulty (5), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (4).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll807836861899889884
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals40%39%36%34%32%28%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language37%35%34%33%25%22%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support18%12%14%15%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%1%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 89.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance89.3%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school33.4%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils23.02024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission4.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence10.7%12.4%10.2%8.6%4.6%5.3%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.8%7.3%5.9%5.4%3.0%3.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence4.9%5.0%4.2%3.1%1.6%1.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence33.4%36.7%32.6%25.1%9.4%12.9%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate23.022.114.013.44.9
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions12012

† These attendance figures are for Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School, the school this one replaced in April 2020. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 145 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training86%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 81%, compared with 90% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers
Still in education, work or training86%92%88%
Education82%90%87%
Apprenticeship2%0%0%
Work2%2%1%
Not in education, work or training9%6%9%

After sixth form

Where the 78 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training78%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 83%, compared with 77% for everyone else.

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training70%England 72%
Top-third universities21%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship8%England 6%
Higher technical course2%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 64% went on to degree-level study or training and 9% to a top-third university.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers
Still in education, work or training78%75%87%
Education54%58%71%
Apprenticeship8%2%8%
Work17%15%8%
Not in education, work or training14%19%8%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers52.8full-time equivalent, 56 people
Pupils per teacher15.3Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers98%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants9.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,805
Teachers who left in the year11%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.92024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,765England £7,965. Total £6.5m
Income per pupil£8,371England £8,423. Total £7.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,198England £4,444
Money in reserve24%A lot put by: £1.7m, £1,980 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£510kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,765spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m31712 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate112 per 1,000 people23% higher than the England average
Typical house price£215,000Sandwell

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Wood Green AcademyAcademy160 m1,518Good 202052Compare
Joseph Leckie AcademyAcademy1.0 miles1,524Report card 202638Compare
Wodensborough Ormiston AcademyAcademy1.1 miles1,119Report card 202519Compare
West Walsall E-ACT AcademyAcademy1.2 miles1,186Good 202345Compare
Walsall Studio SchoolStudio schools1.6 miles206No overall grade 20254Compare
Blue Coat Church of England AcademyAcademy1.7 miles972Good 202335Compare
Grace Academy DarlastonAcademy1.8 miles1,059Report card 202627Compare
The Phoenix CollegiateFoundation1.8 miles1,770Good 202334Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats26%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 21 is 26 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 47 · highest 88100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
West Bromwich Collegiate AcademyFree school3.8 miles774Good 202438Compare
Wednesfield AcademyAcademy3.9 miles1,025No overall grade 202547Compare
Aston University Engineering AcademyUniversity technical college7.2 miles1,010Report card 202665Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 21 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 21% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 15 to 28. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%below
-0.09
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 145 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.02
Ofsted grade, 2.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.08
DfE progress measure; 145 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.23
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.08
2024/25; 761 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.02
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 145 pupils
What pupils do next5%below
-0.04
145 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School a good school?

The figures are weak. Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School scores 21 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 26% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 15 to 28, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School good at its last full inspection on 23 April 2024.

How good are Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 35% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 41.4, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished a little behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School have?

807 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 900 places, so it is 90% full.

Is Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 148 places were empty in 2024/25 (15% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School?

Pupils were in school 89.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 33% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School?

The average class had 21.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 3% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C. 9 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Wood Green Road, Wednesbury, WS10 9QS
Telephone
0121 556 1488
Website
www.stuart-bathurst.org.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Helen Duffield
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Archdiocese of Birmingham
Multi-academy trust
St Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Multi-Academy Trust (64 schools)
Local authority
Sandwell
Ward
Wednesbury North
Constituency
Tipton and Wednesbury
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 April 2020 (new provision)
URN
147881 · LAESTAB 3334008 · UKPRN 10085847
Formerly
Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from