King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy Review 2026, A high expectations girls’ secondary with sixth form in Handsworth Wood

High expectations and a clear emphasis on character sit alongside a deliberately inclusive, mixed ability intake. Leadership is relatively new, with Kiran Takhar starting as headteacher in September 2024, and the school is part of the King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham, which shapes governance and school improvement support.

Recent external evaluation provides a current baseline. In March 2025, Ofsted graded the school Good in every judgement area, including sixth-form provision, under the post September 2024 framework (no overall grade is issued).

This is an 11 to 18 girls’ school with a notably broad local intake and an explicit focus on aspiration. School communications place emphasis on equity and removing barriers, and the pastoral narrative is consistent with that, including a daily morning club providing free breakfast.

Relationships matter here. The most recent inspection evidence describes a calm, orderly culture where pupils behave well, work hard, and trust adults to resolve concerns. That combination usually shows up in the small moments that families notice most, how corridors feel between lessons, how quickly minor issues are dealt with, and whether pupils are comfortable asking for help.

The school also signals a strong “whole pupil” agenda through structured personal development. The published enrichment model encourages broad participation, and the curriculum framing is tied to values language that is used across day to day school life, not just in prospectus material.

At GCSE level, outcomes sit above England average on the headline indicators available. Attainment 8 is 50, and Progress 8 is +0.43, indicating that pupils, on average, make stronger progress than pupils with similar starting points nationally. EBacc average point score is 4.56, above the England average of 4.08.

On FindMySchool’s GCSE ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 1,148th in England and 25th in Birmingham. This places it above England average, within the top quarter of schools in England (top 25%).

The sixth form picture is more mixed on the available grade breakdown. A level outcomes show 2.5% of entries at A*, 10% at A, and 31.67% at A* to B, below the England A* to B average of 47.2% (and below the England A* to A average of 23.6%). On FindMySchool’s A level ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,040th in England and 38th in Birmingham, placing it below England average overall for A level outcomes.

What this means in practice is that the school’s academic story looks strongest through the secondary phase as a whole, with the sixth form offering a viable route for many students, but not currently a headline results destination on grades alone.

The curriculum has been strengthened recently, with a clear intent around sequencing, so that learning builds logically over time, including in the sixth form. That matters for families because coherent sequencing is often what separates “busy” learning from secure learning, particularly in knowledge heavy GCSE subjects.

Reading is an explicit feature, with daily timetabled reading sessions. The area to watch is the school’s consistency in supporting pupils who are at the earlier stages of reading fluency, where the current approach is described as less developed than it should be. For parents, the practical implication is worth clarifying during visits, ask how gaps are identified, what interventions look like, and how progress is checked over a term.

Assessment and checking for understanding is another important thread. Most pupils receive work matched to their needs, but there is evidence that staff practice is not fully consistent in how learning is checked and how teaching is adapted when misconceptions appear. Schools that tighten this tend to improve outcomes without increasing pressure, because pupils make fewer avoidable errors and teachers can intervene earlier.

As an 11 to 18 school, routes after Year 11 and Year 13 matter. The sixth form is positioned as a continuation route for internal pupils who meet entry requirements, with a limited number of external places anticipated into Year 12 for September 2026, and oversubscription managed through defined criteria.

On published destination measures for the 2023/24 cohort, 49% progressed to university, 6% to apprenticeships, and 8% into employment. These figures point to a varied set of post 18 pathways rather than a single track model. The sixth form messaging also highlights employability and enrichment designed to support applications for further study and work.

For families evaluating sixth form fit, the key is alignment. Students looking for a wide menu of enrichment and a structured support model for next steps may find it a good match, while those prioritising top end A level grades as the primary goal should weigh the current outcomes carefully and ask to see subject level performance and support structures.

Year 7 places are allocated through Birmingham’s coordinated admissions process. For entry in September 2026, applications opened on 1 September 2025, the closing date was 31 October 2025, and offers were issued on 2 March 2026.

The school’s published admission number for Year 7 is 175. When applications exceed places, priority is set out clearly: looked after and previously looked after children first, then siblings in Years 7 to 11, then children of staff under defined conditions, then distance, with distance measured as a straight line to the school gate on Church Lane using the local authority’s system.

This is a school where proximity can matter because distance is the final criterion once priority categories are applied. Parents shortlisting should use the FindMySchool Map Search to sense check journey time and likely competitiveness, and to compare with other nearby options.

For sixth form entry, internal pupils do not need to apply formally for Year 12 places, provided they meet entry requirements. For external students, the school anticipates a limited number of places and sets out both academic entry requirements and oversubscription rules.

Pastoral culture is a clear strength in the available evidence. The March 2025 inspection evidence describes strong relationships, a calm environment, and swift support when pupils need help, alongside an effective personal development programme covering respectful relationships and online safety.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is also described as effective, with targeted help in lessons and through interventions. In practical terms, families should expect a SEN approach that focuses on identifying needs early, providing support quickly, and coordinating across subject teams, rather than leaving adjustments to individual teachers’ discretion.

Safeguarding is a non negotiable baseline, and Ofsted stated that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

The enrichment programme is unusually specific in what it offers and how it is timetabled. The published clubs and committees list includes Student Reporters (HWGA News), The Prince’s Trust, a Student EDI Committee, Foreign Language Film Club, Historical Figures Club, ICT Club, Debate Club, and Girls Can Code, alongside music practice rooms and a regular choir option.

The best way to judge value here is to use an example. Girls Can Code is not just a nice add on, it is a signal that the school is trying to widen participation in computing and digital skills, with implications for GCSE options, sixth form subject confidence, and longer term employability. In the same way, Student Reporters builds communication and organisation skills that translate directly into stronger written work and interview confidence.

For sixth form students, enrichment is positioned as a structured part of the week, designed to support applications and personal development, including options that can contribute to UCAS profiles.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The school publishes a structured day model totalling 32.5 hours per week; families should check the current daily timings in the online student information.

Wraparound style support is present in at least one form, with a daily morning club providing free breakfast.

For travel, the school serves Handsworth Wood and surrounding north west Birmingham neighbourhoods; most families rely on walking routes, local buses, or short car journeys, so it is worth mapping the route at the times you would actually travel.

• Latest inspection profile. The most recent graded inspection (March 2025) recorded Good judgements across all areas, which is a reset from the historic Outstanding label families may remember; parents should read the current report carefully and ask how the school is responding to the improvement points.

• Reading support consistency. The current approach to moving some pupils to fluent reading is not yet consistent, which can affect confidence across subjects where reading load is high, such as humanities and science.

• Assessment and feedback. Some inconsistency in checking learning and adapting teaching is identified; families may want to ask how teachers are trained and how consistency is monitored across departments.

• Distance as the final gatekeeper. After priority groups, allocation is by straight line distance to the school gate, which can make outcomes hard to predict year to year in an urban area.

A high expectations girls’ secondary with a strongly evidenced culture of calm behaviour, supportive relationships, and structured personal development, paired with GCSE performance that sits above England average. Best suited to families seeking an inclusive, mixed ability school with clear ambition and an established enrichment offer, including a sixth form route that supports varied destinations. The key trade off is that sixth form outcomes on grades are currently less strong than the secondary phase overall, so sixth form applicants should scrutinise subject level support and fit.