Ormiston SWB Academy Review 2026: A structured, careers-led secondary with a strong personal development spine

A secondary and sixth form that puts structure first. The day is tightly organised, enrichment is built into the weekly rhythm, and the school’s personal development offer is framed through its C.O.R.E programme, which covers careers, online safety, diversity, and wider life skills. The site itself is a major part of the story, with a performance hall, engineering hall, lecture theatre, dance studio, and a full-size artificial astroturf pitch among the headline facilities.

Leadership is clearly presented and visible, with a detailed Senior Leadership Team profile on the school website. This is a school aiming to secure calm routines, improve outcomes, and widen aspiration through practical exposure to next steps, from work experience to university visits.

The defining feature here is intentional structure. The timetable and routines are described in detail, including an early start for entry and tutor time, five taught periods, and scheduled enrichment and intervention after the formal day. For families who want predictability and clear expectations, that matters, because secondary school experience often rises or falls on consistency rather than one-off initiatives.

A second theme is the school’s C.O.R.E framing, which appears across the school’s public materials and is echoed in the most recent inspection narrative. Pupils are expected to understand the language of character, organisation, resilience and excellence, and the personal development programme is positioned as a core part of what students do, not an add-on. The inspection evidence supports that emphasis, describing an impressive personal development curriculum with timetabled elements and dedicated days, with students speaking positively about it.

Leadership is presented as a team rather than a single figure. The website profiles include the principal and multiple vice principals with clear portfolios, including outcomes, quality of education, and pastoral and safeguarding leadership. That clarity can help parents understand who owns what, and it can also support consistency for students, because pastoral systems work best when responsibilities are clear and stable.

The school also signals an inclusive stance. The prospectus and inspection content both reference ambition for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, and the inspection describes staff adapting lessons so that pupils with SEND learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Families considering the school for a child who needs support should still read the current SEND information carefully and ask about day-to-day implementation, but the stated intent and the external picture align.

Outcomes sit below England average on the available headline indicators, and the school is open about the work still required. At GCSE, the Attainment 8 score is 37.4, and Progress 8 is -0.50, which indicates pupils made less progress than similar pupils nationally across eight subjects.

There are also clear signals around academic breadth. Only 8.8% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects, and the most recent inspection identified modern foreign languages and EBacc completion as an improvement priority. That matters because it points to curriculum participation as well as grades, and it is one of the clearest indicators of where leaders are trying to move next.

GCSE ranking context

Ranked 3,205th in England and 3rd in Bilston for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places the school below England average overall.

For sixth form outcomes, the published A-level grade profile also sits below England averages. A* grades account for 2.6% of entries and A grades for 3.9%, while A* to B totals 25.97%. These figures provide a realistic picture for families deciding between staying on and looking elsewhere post-16, particularly for students targeting highly competitive courses.

A-level ranking context

Ranked 2,278th in England and 2nd in Bilston for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places the sixth form below England average overall.

The key question for most families is trajectory. The inspection narrative describes improved behaviour routines and high expectations, and the school’s own materials emphasise raised aspirations. Parents should treat this as a “watch the direction of travel” school, where the strength is structure and personal development, while academic outcomes remain the area to interrogate most closely in conversations with staff.

If you are comparing several local secondaries, the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool are useful for viewing GCSE and A-level indicators side-by-side, rather than relying on reputation.

Teaching and learning are framed around a broad, staged curriculum. The prospectus describes a three-year Key Stage 3 model designed to keep options open and build foundations before specialisation. That approach can suit students who arrive from primary with uneven prior knowledge, because it gives more time to secure core literacy, numeracy and study habits before GCSE choices bite.

The inspection evidence adds detail about what happens in classrooms. Leaders have broken down curriculum plans in subjects such as geography and English, with clear identification of key concepts, and staff have dedicated time to plan together and refine explanations. The report also describes common approaches to checking understanding and addressing misconceptions quickly, which is one of the more practical markers of a coherent teaching model.

Reading is treated as a priority rather than a library-only initiative. The inspection describes a central library promoting reading, teachers reading to pupils regularly, and sixth form students acting as reading buddies for younger pupils. For families concerned about literacy confidence, these details matter, because they signal a whole-school effort, not just intervention for a small group.

At sixth form level, the offer is explicitly pathway-based. Students typically study three main subjects, choosing either academic, applied or blended routes. Entry expectations are clearly stated, including at least a grade 4 in GCSE English Language or Maths, with resits required where one is missing.

For a school with a strong careers narrative, the most useful lens is the mix of destinations plus the mechanisms that help students get there.

In the most recent published leaver cohort (cohort size 28), 54% progressed to university, 11% started apprenticeships, and 4% entered employment. Those figures suggest a majority progression to higher education alongside a meaningful apprenticeship pathway, which can be a good fit for students who prefer a more applied route.

The school also puts visible effort into careers education. Its published careers programme materials reference structured activity across Years 7 to 13, including work experience at Key Stage 4 and post-16, mock interviews, careers fairs, and university engagement. An Oxbridge scholars programme is referenced for Years 11 and 12, and the programme also includes Oxford and Cambridge visits as part of aspiration-raising. There are no published school-level Oxbridge outcome numbers in the available data, so families should treat these initiatives as opportunity-building rather than a guarantee of elite destinations.

A practical implication for families is that this is a sixth form where planning matters. Students who thrive are likely to be those who engage with the guidance early, build attendance and study habits, and take advantage of employer and university encounters. Students who need a highly academic, exam-driven sixth form environment may want to compare options carefully against the A-level outcome profile.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through the local authority. The school’s admissions page states that parents apply via the Common Application Form and that oversubscription criteria mirror Wolverhampton’s arrangements, with the academy’s own admissions criteria page setting out the priority order.

The oversubscription criteria are straightforward in principle:

• pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are admitted first,

• then looked-after children,

• then medical or social reasons,

• then siblings,

• then distance from home to school using a straight-line measurement system.

For September 2026 entry, Wolverhampton’s published timetable states that applications go live in early September 2025, the deadline is 31 October 2025 at 23:59, late applications close on 28 November 2025, and allocations are viewable on 2 March 2026. Parents are then required to respond to offers within 10 school days.

Because the dataset does not include a last distance offered for this school, families should avoid assumptions about how far offers typically extend. Distance cut-offs vary by year and depend on where applicants live. The most reliable approach is to apply with realistic alternatives, use Wolverhampton’s published admissions material, and ask directly about typical demand patterns in recent years.

For post-16 entry, the school publishes sixth form routes and an application pathway, with the entry expectation of at least grade 4 in GCSE English Language or Maths clearly stated.

Parents comparing catchment-sensitive options should also use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check practical travel and approximate proximity, then validate against the council’s published arrangements.

Pastoral leadership is clearly defined. The Senior Leadership Team profile lists a vice principal with responsibility for pastoral, safeguarding (Designated Safeguarding Lead), student services and executive SEND leadership. This matters because safeguarding and student support are operational issues, not abstract policies, and clear ownership tends to improve responsiveness.

The most recent inspection describes safeguarding as effective, with staff trained to spot risk and report concerns, and it links pupil safety education to the personal development curriculum. For families, the implication is that wellbeing work is tied into routine teaching and tutor structures rather than being left to one-off sessions.

SEND leadership is also explicitly referenced in school documentation, including named SEND roles and training references, which supports transparency. Families should still ask practical questions, such as how support is delivered in mainstream lessons, how communication works with home, and what happens when a student needs stepped-up help.

Enrichment is not presented as occasional. It appears as a timetabled feature of the week, with structured after-school provision Tuesday to Friday and an enrichment slot built into the published daily structure.

What is useful is specificity. The published enrichment calendar includes named activities rather than a generic list. Examples include:

• Gardening Club,

• Arts and Craft and Design Club,

• Wonderscape and Worlds of Wonder for Year 7,

• Science Club,

• Young Writers Creative Writing Club,

• Book Club,

• Board Game Club,

• Rock Band,

• Basketball at Bert Williams Sports Hall,

• a school production titled Beauty and the Beast Jr,

• football and netball provision across year groups, including girls’ football and multiple year-group netball sessions.

The implication is that students who benefit most will be those who commit to at least one structured activity each week. That matters both for belonging and for long-term outcomes, because enrichment becomes evidence in references, personal statements, apprenticeship applications, and sixth form leadership. The inspection picture supports this, describing a rich range of experiences through the personal development programme, alongside formal curriculum learning.

Facilities are a further differentiator. The prospectus references a performance hall, engineering hall, lecture theatre, fitness suite, dance studio, professional boardroom, and multiple dining spaces, plus outdoor provision including grass pitches, a full-size astroturf pitch, a multi-use games area, an eco-garden and outdoor gardens, with access to neighbouring Bert Williams Leisure Centre facilities. For students with practical strengths, this kind of environment can make learning feel more applied and tangible.

The published academy day sets out an 08:20 gate opening, an 08:40 to 09:00 tutor period (by year group rotation), and a 15:20 to 16:20 slot for enrichment activities, intervention and after-school clubs Tuesday to Friday. The school states it is open 32.5 hours per week.

Transport planning is important, because this is a school that starts early and relies on punctuality for routines to work. Families should map the door-to-door journey at realistic times and consider how after-school enrichment affects pick-up or independent travel.

• Academic outcomes remain a key question. GCSE and A-level indicators sit below England averages, including a Progress 8 score of -0.50 and an A* to B A-level profile of 25.97%. Families should ask what has changed most recently in teaching, attendance and behaviour systems, and how progress is tracked for different ability levels.

• EBacc participation is low. Only 8.8% achieved grade 5 or above in EBacc subjects, and modern foreign languages were flagged as an improvement priority. If your child enjoys languages or you want an EBacc-heavy route, ask how the options model is changing and how languages are encouraged at Key Stage 4.

• Oversubscription is handled by distance once priorities are met. If the school is oversubscribed, the criteria move through looked-after status, medical or social need, siblings, then distance. Make sure your application list includes realistic alternatives, because distance patterns depend on applicant distribution.

• The structure will suit some students far more than others. A highly organised day with explicit routines can be a strength for students who like clarity, but students who struggle with punctuality or consistent habits may need additional support to benefit fully from the model.

This is a school with a clear operational model: structured routines, a defined personal development programme, and a strong careers narrative that starts early. Facilities and enrichment are tangible strengths, and the published leadership structure suggests accountability across key areas. Academic outcomes, however, remain the central challenge and the most important focus for parent due diligence.

Best suited to families who value structure and a practical, experience-led approach to preparing for post-16 and post-18 pathways, and who will actively engage with the school’s support and enrichment to help their child build momentum.