Fortis Academy Review 2026: Big-school breadth with a clearly structured sixth form

Fortis Academy is a large, mixed secondary with a sizeable sixth form, set in Great Barr and serving a wide Birmingham intake. The current leadership model is split, with Sarah Murcott as Executive Headteacher and Joe Clark as Interim Headteacher, a structure that often signals active school improvement work at scale.

The most recent graded inspection outcome is Good, with Good judgements across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision. The report also confirms that safeguarding arrangements are effective, and it describes a calm, orderly environment alongside a strong pastoral emphasis.

Practically, the school day is tightly timetabled, including a dedicated personal development slot (called Edge) and an after-school enrichment period built into the day. For families, that rhythm matters, it reduces the logistical strain of clubs, and it makes routine and expectations easy for students to understand.

Fortis Academy presents itself as a school that wants clarity and consistency. A visible example is how personal development is branded and organised, Edge is positioned as a core entitlement rather than a bolt-on. The published description emphasises careers content, resilience-building, and a sequence of themes that are revisited and adapted as students move through the school. That sort of design usually lands best for families who value structure, and for students who benefit from predictable routines.

There is also an explicit focus on inclusion and identity. The school describes a dedicated Free 2 Be space that is open daily, and it also describes a multi-faith prayer room that is open at lunchtime. These are practical signals, not just statements of intent, because they create a physical place for reflection and belonging inside a very large institution.

Another important element is the way enrichment is tied to community partnerships. The school references local sports organisations as part of its extra-curricular offer, including Birmingham Rockets, Continental Stars Table Tennis Club, and Birchfield Harriers. For students, that can be a bridge between school sport and community sport, with clearer progression routes than a purely internal programme.

Looking ahead, the school is also connected to a major rebuilding project. Plans describe demolition of most existing buildings and the construction of three new buildings, including a teaching block connected to a dining block and a sports and performing arts block, with the current sixth form block remaining. If delivered as described, that should materially change daily experience, especially around specialist spaces, movement between lessons, and the quality of social areas.

Fortis Academy’s published performance profile is mixed across phases, with GCSE measures indicating challenge and sixth form outcomes closer to England middle-range.

GCSE performance and ranking context

Ranked 3,229th in England and 85th in Birmingham for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), Fortis Academy sits below England average overall on this measure.

The Attainment 8 score is 39.7, and Progress 8 is -0.32. EBacc average point score is 3.23, compared with an England reference figure of 4.08. These figures point to a cohort that, on average, is not yet converting learning into headline GCSE outcomes at the level many families will hope for, particularly in EBacc subjects.

A key nuance is that external evaluation describes curriculum work and improvement activity that can take time to translate into results. The most recent inspection notes curriculum redesign and a push to increase language uptake at key stage 4, with more teaching time in languages at key stage 3 to build foundations. For parents comparing local schools, it is worth using FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools to view Fortis Academy’s figures alongside nearby options with similar intakes.

A-level performance and ranking context

At sixth form level, the picture is steadier. Ranked 1,402nd in England and 24th in Birmingham for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results sit in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

Grade distribution shows 50% at A* to B, with 0.79% at A*, 16.67% at A, and 32.54% at B. The England reference for A* to B is 47.2%, so Fortis’s A* to B figure is slightly above that benchmark. This suggests a sixth form that is capable of delivering broadly competitive outcomes, particularly for students who respond well to the structure and expectations that tend to be clearer post-16.

The curriculum narrative is explicitly knowledge-led and culturally oriented, and it is reinforced by the way the school describes sequencing and revisiting key content. External evaluation highlights frequent retrieval and revisiting of prior learning, with English identified as a particular strength and reading promoted across year groups, including for sixth form students.

A practical, student-facing element is the digital strategy. The school states a commitment to ensuring all learners have a one-to-one device for learning during their years of study. In a large secondary, this can reduce inequity around access to platforms, homework resources, and independent study, provided implementation is consistent and technical support is reliable.

There is also a clear acknowledgement, from external evaluation, that adaptation is not always strong enough for some pupils, including those with SEND, and that checking for secure understanding before moving on can be inconsistent. For parents of students who need careful scaffolding, this is a key area to probe in conversations with the school, particularly around how teachers are supported to adapt work in mixed-attainment classrooms.

For many families, the sixth form pathway is a central part of the offer. Fortis Academy’s post-16 programme is designed to be more than subjects and timetables, with a structured enrichment menu and explicit preparation for next steps.

Leaver destinations (most recent published cohort)

In the 2023/24 leaver cohort, 69% progressed to university, 1% to apprenticeships, and 7% into employment (cohort size: 88). This indicates that the typical destination is higher education, with a smaller but visible proportion moving directly into work-based routes.

Oxbridge pipeline

Oxbridge outcomes are present but at small scale with 2 applications, 1 offer, and 1 acceptance recorded in the period. In a sixth form of this size, that reads as “available for the right student” rather than a defining feature of the pipeline.

Sixth form enrichment and employability

The enrichment offer is unusually specific. Named opportunities include the Fortis Academy Sixth Form Social Justice Society, Debating Society, Fundraising Club, Fitness Club (with gym equipment and personal fitness lessons), Healthy eating and cooking club, Chess Club, and Book Club. The school also references broader awards and employability programmes, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the Diana Award, and the Words for Work Project, alongside trips and visits that include destinations such as Birmingham Crown Court and PwC Head Office.

The implication for students is straightforward: those who engage will leave with more than grades, namely interview practice, sector exposure, and evidence of sustained involvement that strengthens applications.

Year 7 entry (Birmingham local authority coordinated)

Year 7 places are coordinated through Birmingham City Council, with Fortis Academy publishing an admissions number of 280 and a standard oversubscription approach prioritising looked-after children, then siblings, then distance. For the September 2026 intake in Birmingham, the application window opened 1 September 2025 and the statutory closing date was 31 October 2025, with offers released on 2 March 2026.

Demand indicators in the available admissions dataset show 570 applications for 143 offers, which is roughly four applications per place. That level of demand typically means that preferences need to be realistic, and distance becomes the practical tie-breaker for many families once priority groups are applied. Because last-offered distance is not available here, families should use FindMySchool’s Map Search tools to understand their own proximity and to compare typical local cut-offs across nearby schools.

Sixth form entry (direct to the school)

Year 12 admission is made directly, via the school’s sixth form application route, and the school states that applications for 2026 entry are open. Entry requirements are published as a minimum of five GCSEs including English and Maths at grades 9 to 4, plus subject-specific requirements where relevant. This is an accessible threshold for many students, but it also signals that course suitability and prior attainment matter, especially for more demanding A-level combinations.

Open events and timings

For September 2026 entry, the school advertised an Open Evening on Wednesday 17 September 2025 (4.00pm to 7.00pm) and an Open Week commencing 22 September 2025 (9.30am to 10.30am daily). If you are applying in a later cycle, treat these as a strong indicator that open events typically cluster in September, and check the school’s open events page for current dates.

Pastoral work is tied closely to personal development design. Edge is described as the vehicle for relationships education, online safety, and wider life skills, with delivery by tutors who know their students well and who use structured tools such as confidence check-ins to identify where topics need revisiting.

Safeguarding is supported with signposting to wellbeing services and digital support tools, and the latest inspection confirms safeguarding effectiveness. The practical implication for families is that support exists, but it is still worth asking how students access it day-to-day, especially in a large school where a pupil’s confidence to seek help can be as important as the services available.

A useful way to think about Fortis Academy’s extra-curricular life is in three strands: sport partnerships, sixth form enrichment societies, and whole-school personal development structures.

Sport with external links

Basketball and table tennis are explicitly referenced both in external evaluation and in the school’s published enrichment partner list, with named links including Continental Stars Table Tennis Club and Birmingham Rockets. For students, that can provide a clearer progression route than a purely internal club, and it often increases regularity of coaching and competitive opportunities.

Sixth form enrichment with named societies

The sixth form programme is unusually concrete, with named societies (Social Justice Society, Debating Society) and skills-based clubs (Fitness Club, Healthy eating and cooking club), plus structured routes to awards and employability programmes. If your child is the sort of student who needs an organised framework to build confidence and independence, this structure can be a genuine advantage.

Student leadership and community events

The sixth form student council is positioned as an active group that organises charity and cohesion events such as a Macmillan coffee morning and cultural immersion days. In a large setting, visible student leadership is often the difference between students feeling like anonymous attendees and feeling like contributors to the wider culture.

The published school day indicates arrival from 07:30, with students expected on site by 08:45 and a structured timetable running through to a dedicated after-school enrichment period 15:15 to 16:15. That after-school slot is particularly helpful for working families because clubs are integrated into the timetable rather than relying entirely on ad hoc scheduling.

Term dates for Spring and Summer 2026 are published, including staff training days and half-term breaks, which helps families plan childcare and travel well ahead. The school website currently provides limited detail on travel routes and public transport guidance, so families should plan journeys independently and check local timetables and safe walking routes.

• GCSE outcomes remain a key development area. The school’s GCSE performance indicators sit below England average which may matter for families prioritising headline results. The improvement narrative is credible, but translating curriculum work into results can take time.

• Large-school experience is not for every student. A bigger roll brings breadth, but some children prefer smaller settings where staff can keep closer track of day-to-day confidence and organisation. Ask about tutor group structures, escalation routes, and how quickly staff respond when a student starts slipping.

• Support for SEND and adaptation is worth probing. External evaluation highlights that work is not always adapted sufficiently for some pupils, and that checking for secure understanding before moving on can be inconsistent. This is an important conversation topic if your child benefits from careful scaffolding.

• Facilities may change materially during rebuilding. Plans indicate a major rebuild with new teaching, dining, and sports and performing arts buildings. Construction phases can affect movement, space, and routines, so ask how disruption will be managed and what the timeline looks like.

Fortis Academy is a large Birmingham secondary with a clearly designed personal development framework and a sixth form that stands out for structured enrichment and employability links. The latest graded inspection outcome is Good, and day-to-day routines are clearly timetabled, which suits students who respond well to structure and consistent expectations.

This school best suits families who want a broad, organised setting with a sixth form pathway that actively builds confidence and independence, and who are comfortable engaging with the school on progress and support. The main trade-off is that GCSE outcomes remain an area to watch closely, so families should look carefully at subject support, intervention, and how improvement work is being embedded.