The Royal School, Wolverhampton
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The Royal School, Wolverhampton is a free school in Wolverhampton for boys and girls aged 4 to 19. It has 1,488 pupils, 34 more than it has places for. About 33 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 51 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 64% of the 50 schools most like it.
Penn Road, Wolverhampton, WV3 0EG01902 341230theroyalschool.co.ukMr Tom Macdonald principalAll details
Ofsted
Ofsted hasn't published an inspection for this school yet.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
120 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Wolverhampton | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 120 | 125 | 115 | 111 | 57 | 52 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 43.3 | 47.1 | 50.5 | 52.3 | 49.0 | 50.5 | 45.6 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | +0.35 | +0.37 | +0.42 | -0.11 | -0.02 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 33% | 47% | 61% | 56% | 44% | 44% | 40% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 56% | 66% | 73% | 77% | 79% | 67% | 62% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 3.56 | 3.82 | 4.14 | 4.38 | 4.58 | 4.84 | 3.84 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 11% | 14% | 16% | 20% | 49% | 67% | 31% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 34.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 | 45.5 | 39.6 | 49.8 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 47.7 | 51.2 | 55.4 | 54.7 | 50.6 | 50.7 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 31.0 | 25.4 | 36.3 | – | – | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 63.6 | 67.7 | 73.5 | 57.7 | 59.1 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 17 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.
Strongest subjects
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Music (20% here, 61% across England), Chemistry (45% here, 81% across England), Computer Science (19% here, 56% across England), Physics (53% here, 82% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Literature | 121 | 10% | 39% | 60% | 58% | 2,753 of 3,202 |
| English Language | 121 | 7% | 36% | 59% | 54% | 2,810 of 3,210 |
| Mathematics | 121 | 16% | 46% | 66% | 53% | 1,972 of 3,211 |
| Chemistry | 78 | 12% | 45% | 73% | 81% | 2,393 of 2,537 |
| Biology | 78 | 10% | 58% | 78% | 82% | 2,276 of 2,570 |
| Physics | 78 | 10% | 53% | 68% | 82% | 2,325 of 2,546 |
| History | 55 | 7% | 31% | 44% | 52% | 2,736 of 3,126 |
| Business | 48 | 4% | 40% | 58% | 51% | 1,199 of 1,806 |
| Combined Science | 43 | 2% | 26% | 56% | 36% | 2,218 of 3,084 |
| Design & Technology | 37 | 5% | 30% | 49% | 50% | 1,157 of 1,478 |
| Computer Science | 36 | 3% | 19% | 44% | 56% | 1,768 of 1,861 |
| Geography | 35 | 11% | 40% | 63% | 51% | 2,122 of 3,116 |
| Art and Design | 29 | 17% | 79% | 86% | 58% | 493 of 2,818 |
| Music | 25 | 8% | 20% | 36% | 61% | 363 of 395 |
| Social Studies | 22 | 5% | 41% | 55% | 54% | 777 of 1,043 |
| Physical Education | 16 | 0% | 31% | 56% | 56% | – |
| German | 9 | 11% | 11% | 33% | 63% | – |
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.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
90 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Wolverhampton | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 90 | 89 | 90 | 75 | 75 | 75 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 52% | 60% | 72% | 57% | 69% | 65% | 66% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 3% | 2% | 6% | 4% | 7% | 9% | 11% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 104.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 104.0 | 105.8 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 101.0 | 103.0 | 106.0 | 102.0 | 105.0 | 105.0 | 104.3 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 103.0 | 105.0 | 107.0 | 104.0 | 108.0 | 107.0 | 105.9 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 71% | 80% | 86% | 77% | 87% | 73% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 62% | 67% | 84% | 61% | 84% | 83% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 71% | 78% | 82% | 80% | 79% | 80% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +0.6 | -1.3 | -0.8 | -2.3 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +1.2 | -4.3 | -1.7 | -0.9 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 42% | 45% | 50% | 50% | 40% | 60% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 58% | 67% | 75% | 59% | 74% | 66% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
A level and sixth-form results, 2025
145 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 145 | 127 | 129 | 106 | 174 | 182 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | 29.17 | 30.88 | 30.47 | 26.65 | 26.88 | 30.73 |
| Average A level grade | C | C | C | C- | C- | C |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | 30.55 | 32.44 | 32.38 | 28.26 | 27.51 | 30.96 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | 12% | 13% | 18% | 6% | 7% | 14% |
| A level progressA level value added | -0.20 | +0.11 | – | – | -0.32 | -0.15 |
| Applied general courses: points per entry | 23.06 | 25.58 | 23.88 | 28.21 | – | – |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | 95% | 96% | 96% | 96% | 91% | 99% |
A level subjects
15 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.
Every A level subject against England, 2025
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. 3 of the 7 gaps are 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
At the end of primary school, 2025
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
Admissions policy not published.
The school is full, with 21 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have grown by 4% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.
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 (33 offers for 112 places).
| Entry | Places | Put it first | Applied at all | Got a place | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Secondary | 112 | 173 | 763 | 33 | – all offered | LA |
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.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.9 pupils (England 26.2); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.0 (England 28.2).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (72), emotional and mental health (46), Specific learning difficulty (31), Moderate learning difficulty (25), Autistic spectrum disorder (18), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (17).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 1,488 | 1,510 | 1,493 | 1,468 | 1,450 | 1,413 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 32% | 30% | 27% | 24% | 22% | 16% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 50% | 49% | 48% | 47% | 48% | 48% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 12% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 4% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.6% | 3.0% | 3.3% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 2.8% | 2.9% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.2% | 0.4% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 12.1% | 11.9% | 12.9% | 15.3% | 5.7% | 5.0% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 7.6 | 6.0 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 5.8 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 115 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 88%, compared with 96% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 94% | 96% | 94% | 91% |
| Education | 91% | 93% | 93% | 87% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 2% | 0% | 2% |
| Work | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% |
| Not in education, work or training | 6% | 2% | 2% | 0% |
After sixth form
Where the 125 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 80%, compared with 87% for everyone else.
Where the ones heading for university went
Among students from low-income families, 71% went on to degree-level study or training and 14% to a top-third university.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 86% | 86% | 87% | – |
| Education | 70% | 67% | 80% | – |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 6% | 0% | 2% |
| Work | 10% | 14% | 6% | – |
| Not in education, work or training | 8% | 6% | 5% | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
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.
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
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graiseley Primary School | Council | 590 m | 230 | Requires improvement 2024 | 6 | Compare |
| St Luke's Church of England Aided Primary School | Church of England | 630 m | 477 | Not inspected | 82 | Compare |
| Bantock Primary School | Academy | 660 m | 434 | Good 2022 | – | Compare |
| Kingsley Academy | Independent | 860 m | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Woodfield Primary School | Academy | 910 m | 637 | Outstanding 2024 | 92 | Compare |
| Phoenix Nursery School | Local authority nursery school | 0.7 miles | 41 | Good 2024 | – | Compare |
| Nishkam Primary School Wolverhampton | Free school | 0.7 miles | 418 | Good 2020 | 95 | Compare |
| Merridale Primary School | Academy | 0.7 miles | 240 | Good 2024 | – | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares The Royal School, Wolverhampton 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.
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 The Royal School, Wolverhampton, 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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shireland Collegiate Academy | Academy | 9.5 miles | 1,585 | No overall grade 2024 | 72 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 51 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 51% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 40 to 63. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | in line | -0.08 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 120 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 0% | no data | – | |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | above | +0.13 | DfE progress measure; 120 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.18 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well above | +0.15 | 2024/25; 1,129 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | in line | -0.04 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 120 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | in line | +0.01 | 115 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | 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 The Royal School, Wolverhampton a good school?
It is about average. The Royal School, Wolverhampton scores 51 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 64% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 40 to 63, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
How good are The Royal School, Wolverhampton's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 33% 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 43.3, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about half a grade ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are The Royal School, Wolverhampton's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 52% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does The Royal School, Wolverhampton have?
1,488 pupils aged 4 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,454 places, so it is 102% full.
Is The Royal School, Wolverhampton oversubscribed?
Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 21 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.
What is attendance like at The Royal School, Wolverhampton?
Pupils were in school 94.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 12% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at The Royal School, Wolverhampton?
The average class had 25.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 6% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does The Royal School, Wolverhampton have a sixth form?
Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C. 15 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
- Penn Road, Wolverhampton, WV3 0EG
- Telephone
- 01902 341230
- Website
- theroyalschool.co.uk
- Principal
- Mr Tom Macdonald
- Type of school
- Free school (Free schools, free schools)
- Phase
- All-through school, ages 4-19, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Single-academy trust
- The Royal School, Wolverhampton (1 schools)
- Local authority
- Wolverhampton
- Ward
- Blakenhall
- Constituency
- Wolverhampton West
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 2 September 2016 (academy free school)
- URN
- 143101 · LAESTAB 3366000 · UKPRN 10056991
- Formerly
- The Royal Wolverhampton School
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- A level subjects: DfE A level and other 16 to 18 results, subject entries and grades, 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Wolverhampton council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2026.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.