King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy Review 2026: A structured 11 to 16 academy with a clear improvement trajectory

This is a mixed, 11 to 16 state secondary in Frankley, South West Birmingham, part of the King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham. Leadership messaging is direct about improvement and raising expectations, and the day-to-day model leans on consistency, routines, and a whole-school approach to learning. The latest full inspection judged the school as Good across all headline areas, with safeguarding confirmed as effective.

Results data remains a key watchpoint. The school’s current GCSE performance profile sits below many other secondaries in England, and the Progress 8 measure indicates students, on average, make less progress than similar pupils nationally. That tension, improving practice alongside weaker published outcomes, shapes the decision for many families.

Expect a school that leans into routines and visibility. The latest inspection narrative places emphasis on respectful relationships, calm movement between lessons, and a culture where students understand staff expectations. That matters in practical terms because it reduces the friction that can otherwise dominate secondary school life, especially at transition points like Year 7 settling-in and Year 11 exam preparation.

Values are framed in aspirational language. The inspection describes a set of four values, bold, ambitious, collaborative, kind, and links them to everyday norms. In parallel, the school positions itself as being in a period of redefinition, with a stated aim of delivering the quality of education local families expect. The combination reads as purposeful rather than performative, with improvement presented as a sustained project rather than a single initiative.

A distinctive structural feature is the house system. New starters are placed into one of three houses, Barber, Malala, and Zephaniah, with staff champions and pupil captains supporting inter-house activity and competition. For some children, that is a straightforward motivator, participation is recognised and identities form quickly. For others, it is simply a helpful organising layer that makes a larger school feel more legible.

The wider context is also worth noting. The school building has served local families for over 40 years, and the academy opened in its current form in September 2019. That time frame matters because it helps explain why the inspection language places emphasis on “how much has improved in recent years” while published outcomes data still looks challenging.

GCSE performance, as captured in the FindMySchool ranking based on official outcomes data, places the school at 3,571st in England and 95th in Birmingham for GCSE outcomes. That sits below the England average band overall. This is not a judgement on any individual child’s potential, but it is a useful signal for parents comparing options across the city.

Two measures help interpret that picture. The Progress 8 score is -0.48, which indicates that, on average, students make less progress from their starting points than similar pupils nationally. The Attainment 8 score is 35.8, a summary measure across a student’s best eight GCSE subjects.

EBacc measures are also low in the published data, with 2.6% achieving grades 5 or above across the EBacc entry set, and an EBacc average point score of 2.91. Those numbers reinforce the point that outcomes remain the main performance risk families should interrogate carefully through questions about current teaching, subject support, and Year 11 intervention.

The inspection context adds an important nuance. It states directly that published examination outcomes are low but do not reflect the current quality of education, pointing to curriculum changes, structured learning approaches, and improvement in what pupils know and remember. The implication for families is that the school’s direction of travel may be stronger than the historic results snapshot suggests, but parents should still ask for the most recent internal evidence, such as assessment cycles, mock outcomes, and how these translate into targeted support.

For parents comparing schools locally, the FindMySchool Local Hub and comparison tools can help put the ranking and progress measures side-by-side with nearby options, rather than relying on anecdote.

Curriculum work appears central to the school’s improvement strategy. The inspection describes a broad curriculum, sequenced by subject so that component knowledge builds towards more complex learning. The practical implication is that students should experience clearer “what comes next” logic across subjects, which is especially helpful for children who need structure to stay confident.

A whole-school learning approach is also referenced, including “DNA” tasks used consistently across subjects. Consistency of that kind is often underestimated by families, but it can materially improve students’ independence, because they spend less time decoding task formats and more time thinking about the content. The inspection notes that pupils understand what they are learning and how it connects to the bigger picture in each subject, which is a strong indicator of deliberate curriculum communication.

The clearest development area is assessment and feedback. The inspection identifies that, in some subjects, assessment tasks do not focus tightly enough on the most important component knowledge, and feedback can sometimes be too broad to help pupils correct specific misconceptions. For parents, the relevant question is not simply “do you mark books”, but how quickly gaps are identified and closed, particularly in English and mathematics where cumulative weakness can compound across years.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described as a strength in the inspection, with adaptations made where needed and increased effort to involve parents and carers. Alongside that, the school’s published SEND information points to a mix of academic and therapeutic-style supports, including Lego therapy, speech and language support, precision teaching, and sessions with a therapy dog. The implication is that pupils who need structured support may find a clearer framework here than the outcomes data alone might suggest.

With an 11 to 16 age range and no sixth form, every student transitions at 16. That can be a positive for families who want a clean reset into a college environment, particularly for students seeking vocational or technical routes. It can also be a pressure point for students who would prefer continuity into Year 12, especially if confidence is fragile after GCSEs.

The inspection confirms the school meets the provider access requirements, meaning students should receive information about technical education and apprenticeships alongside academic routes. The school also highlights structured careers and enrichment partnerships, including The Brilliant Club programme and Birmingham City Football Club-linked strands, which can help broaden horizons in a tangible way. The question for families is how consistently those opportunities reach the full cohort, not only the most confident students.

Because no verified, school-published destination statistics are available in the provided data, it is best to treat post-16 progression as an area for direct enquiry. Ask what proportion typically moves into sixth forms, further education colleges, apprenticeships, and employment with training, and how the school supports applications, interviews, and course selection.

Admissions are handled through Birmingham’s coordinated process for Year 7 entry. For September 2026 entry, Birmingham’s published timetable states that applications opened on 1 September 2025 and the on-time closing date was 31 October 2025, with National Offer Day on 2 March 2026.

The school is oversubscribed in the latest admissions data available, with 331 applications and 87 offers shown, and a subscription ratio of 3.8 applications per place. In plain terms, competition is meaningful, and it makes sense to use all available preferences strategically rather than assuming a place is likely.

When a school is oversubscribed, priority rules matter more than marketing messages. The September 2026 admissions policy sets an admission number of 90 and outlines a standard hierarchy: looked after and previously looked after children, siblings, children of eligible staff, then distance as the tie-breaker. Distances are calculated as straight-line measurements to the centre of the main school building using local authority mapping.

Because no verified “last distance offered” figure is available here, families should avoid relying on hearsay about cut-off distances. If distance is likely to be decisive for you, use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check your home location precisely and to plan realistic alternatives.

In-year admissions are also addressed on the school’s admissions page, which is relevant if you are moving into the area mid-year. The practical advice is to understand how waiting lists operate and how fair access placements may affect availability across the year.

The inspection picture is reassuring on core behaviour and safeguarding fundamentals. It describes calm movement around the site and pupils managing behaviour well at social times, while safeguarding is confirmed as effective. Those basics are non-negotiable for most parents, and they are often the foundation that allows learning interventions to stick.

The school’s wider wellbeing approach shows through in several practical signals. The SEND information references self-regulation and resilience courses, structured social groups, and sport-based interventions, which indicates an intention to provide multiple routes into support rather than a single funnel through one team. For students who struggle with mainstream classroom demands, the difference between “support exists” and “support is accessible” can define their entire experience.

Parents of students with additional needs should ask detailed questions about how support is delivered in lessons, how targets are reviewed, and how communication works between home and school, particularly at the points where attendance dips or behaviour deteriorates. For some families, clarity and responsiveness at those moments matter as much as exam outcomes.

Enrichment is framed as a core strand of the student experience, not an optional add-on. The inspection highlights clubs, Police Cadets, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and strands linked to a partnership with Birmingham City Football Club. That mix matters because it provides different “hooks” for different students: uniformed youth leadership through cadets, broader personal development through DofE, and sports-linked engagement for students who connect most strongly through activity.

The school publishes an enrichment clubs page which references a timetable that is reviewed during the term using pupil voice, and it names externally-led strands including Police Cadets, BCFC Strike a Change, and KICKS, each requiring separate consent. The implication for parents is that there are both internal clubs and partnership programmes, and that sign-up and consent processes should be clear and trackable.

Academic enrichment is also visible in the site structure, including The Brilliant Club programme, often associated with university access and structured scholarly projects. That is potentially meaningful in a school where raising aspiration is part of the improvement narrative, especially if it is embedded for a broad group of students rather than only a small cohort.

For families considering the school, ask for the current term’s enrichment timetable and the proportion of students taking part. Participation rates are often a better indicator of culture than the headline list of clubs.

The school day is structured around five periods, with registration and assembly from 8:40 to 9:05 and the last lesson ending at 15:10. Pupils have access to 32.5 hours per week, and the site is open from 6:30 to 18:30 daily, which is relevant for early drop-off, after-school enrichment, and organised activities beyond the formal timetable.

A practical detail for some families is breakfast provision. The school has previously communicated an option to pick up breakfast items shortly before the start of the day. Availability and pricing can change, so it is best treated as a convenience rather than a guaranteed daily service.

Transport-wise, the safest approach is to plan around your actual route and timing. If your child relies on public transport, build in contingency for delays and check the school’s punctuality expectations.

• Outcomes remain the primary risk area. The FindMySchool GCSE ranking and a Progress 8 score of -0.48 indicate that published performance is below many other schools in England. Families should probe how current teaching and assessment improvements translate into Year 11 outcomes.

• Assessment and feedback are still tightening. The latest inspection identifies that some assessment tasks and feedback can be too broad to catch misconceptions early. Ask how departments standardise checks for understanding, especially in English and mathematics.

• No sixth form means a full transition at 16. For many students this is a positive reset into college or training. For others it is an extra change to manage. Consider what your child needs for stability and motivation in Years 10 and 11.

• Competition for places is real. The available admissions data indicates oversubscription. If you are relying on this option, plan a credible set of preferences rather than a single-school strategy.

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy presents as a school with a credible improvement story, clear routines, and a Good judgement across all major inspection categories, with safeguarding effective. The key decision point is whether the current direction of travel is strong enough for your child, given that published outcomes remain a concern in the performance data.

It suits families who want a structured school day, visible expectations, and accessible enrichment routes such as Police Cadets and Duke of Edinburgh, and who are willing to engage actively with progress checks and intervention plans. For families where exam outcomes are the dominant priority, it is sensible to compare options carefully using FindMySchool tools and to ask detailed, evidence-led questions about current Year 11 performance and subject-level support.