Selly Park Girls' School Review 2026: High expectations, strong progress, and a wide cultural programme

Academic ambition and personal development are treated as equal priorities here. The school’s own language centres on aspiration and inclusion, and that theme runs through day-to-day routines, curriculum choices, and enrichment. Leadership stability is also a feature, with Mrs Lisa Darwood appointed as Head Teacher in 2017.

This is a state-funded community school for girls aged 11 to 16, so there are no tuition fees. For families comparing local options, the headline academic picture is encouraging: outcomes sit above England average, with particularly strong progress from starting points.

The tone is purposeful and structured. Expectations for behaviour are explicit and consistently reinforced, which matters in a large secondary setting. The school’s stated vision, framed as being “a beacon of inspiration and aspiration”, is not just marketing language; it is used as an organising idea for student leadership, enrichment planning, and pastoral messaging.

A distinctive feature is the emphasis on character education and experiences, not only clubs. The Selly Park Seven is described as a planned set of activities that students complete across Years 7 to 11, from early volunteering through to trips and wider experiences later on. The practical implication for families is that personal development is built into the programme, rather than left to chance or to the most confident joiners.

The leadership team is clearly presented, with named deputies and assistants, which helps signal organisational clarity in a school of this size.

This section uses the FindMySchool dataset for rankings and outcomes, as required.

Ranked 978th in England and 22nd in Birmingham for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

The progress measure is a key strength. A Progress 8 score of +0.55 indicates students, on average, make substantially more progress than similar students nationally across eight subjects. That matters because it points to effectiveness for a broad intake, not only the highest prior attainers.

Attainment is also solid. An Attainment 8 score of 51.5 suggests the typical student leaves with a strong set of GCSE grades across a wide curriculum. In the English Baccalaureate, the average point score is 4.74, compared with an England comparator of 4.08 indicating stronger outcomes across the Ebacc subject suite.

Ebacc entry and pathway choices are also relevant. The proportion achieving grade 5 or above in the Ebacc is 32.7%. For some families, that will read as a school that supports strong outcomes while still offering breadth in options beyond the Ebacc route, which can suit students with strengths in practical, creative, or applied subjects.

Parents comparing performance locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and the Comparison Tool to view these outcomes alongside other Birmingham schools using the same dataset.

Curriculum breadth is a practical differentiator. Alongside the core subjects, the school highlights a wide option set and vocationally oriented pathways including Engineering, iMedia, Health and Social Care, and Travel and Tourism.

In science, facilities and staffing detail are published, with six modern laboratories and specialist technician support. The implication is simple: practical work is easier to timetable and run safely at scale, which tends to improve both engagement and depth of understanding.

In music, the offer blends performance and technology. The department references music technology work using Logic Pro X and GarageBand, which signals an approach that can suit students who are less drawn to traditional instrumental routes but thrive with composition, production, and applied creativity.

Reading support is also structured. The school describes termly assessment using a standardised reading test and a staged intervention approach, including small-group and targeted support for weaker readers.

The overall picture is of a curriculum planned with sequencing and coherence in mind, with strong subject knowledge and questioning used to check understanding. One area flagged for development is consistency of assessment practice in Key Stage 3, which is worth probing at an open event or meeting.

There is no sixth form, so all students transition at 16. That can be a positive for families who want a fresh start in a college setting, or who are targeting specialist post-16 pathways. It also means families should think early about the style of destination that will suit their child, sixth form college, school sixth form, or technical route.

Careers education is presented as a whole-school programme mapped to the Gatsby Benchmarks, with structured employer encounters, careers days, and individual guidance. The school also publishes historic destination tracking, including figures for the proportion staying in education or moving into employment for earlier cohorts; families should treat these as a directional indicator and ask how the school now tracks destinations year by year.

A practical implication is that post-16 planning is embedded well before Year 11, which can reduce last-minute pressure and support more thoughtful course choices.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated by Birmingham City Council for community schools. For children due to start secondary school in September 2026, the published deadline is 31 October 2025, with offers released on 1 March 2026.

The oversubscription rules described follow the standard Birmingham community school priority order: looked-after and previously looked-after children, then siblings, then distance, measured as a straight line between home and the school.

The school also publishes a PAN table. For 2025 to 26, the Year 7 published admission number is 180. Published numbers can change, so families should confirm the PAN for the specific entry year in the council’s admissions documentation.

Parents who are distance-sensitive can use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their distance and to sense-check realism against recent local patterns, then validate against Birmingham’s official admissions rules for the relevant year.

The latest Ofsted inspection (November 2022) rated the school Good overall, with Outstanding judgements for Behaviour and Attitudes and for Personal Development.

The report also confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Beyond inspection outcomes, published school information points to a strong pastoral structure: a clear behaviour framework, planned personal development content (including relationships education and consent taught in an age-appropriate way), and targeted support where students need additional help.

SEND information is also detailed, including transition support led by an experienced primary practitioner, workshops for Year 7, and planned engagement with families. The implication for families is that entry into Year 7 is treated as a process rather than a single induction day, which can be particularly valuable for students who are anxious about change.

The enrichment programme goes beyond the typical after-school menu. The school publishes structured elements such as a daily homework club (3pm to 5pm), after-school tutorials, Saturday morning revision sessions, and additional revision programmes. For motivated students, this can provide a predictable routine and reduce the need for external tutoring. For others, it can feel like a lot, so it is worth asking how the school encourages balance.

Clubs and activities are also specific. Examples include:

• Archaeology Club for Year 7, linked to the history curriculum.

• After-school Science Club, with practical investigations and cross-curricular activities.

• Art Club for Key Stage 3, plus extended access to specialist rooms for GCSE groups.

• A broad physical education programme including Wheelchair Basketball and use of a Fitness Suite.

• Drama opportunities supported through membership of the Royal Shakespeare Company Associate Schools Programme, alongside links with The REP and The MAC.

Personal development is also channelled into student leadership roles, with published examples including Reading Ambassadors, Rights Respecting Ambassadors, Learning Mentors, and International School Ambassadors.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual secondary costs such as uniform, trips, and optional activities.

The school publishes an early start to the day: site open from 8am, with students expected on site by 8.25am for an 8.30am start. Breakfast availability is also referenced. Finish time is not clearly published in a single summary location, so families should confirm the daily timetable directly.

For travel, the school explicitly references bus travel and encourages families to arrange a bus pass where relevant.

• No sixth form. All students move on at 16, which is ideal for those targeting a college-style post-16 experience, but it removes the option of staying in a familiar setting for Year 12 and Year 13.

• A structured academic support culture. Saturday revision sessions, after-school tutorials, and organised homework clubs can be a major advantage for motivated students, but families should ask how the school protects downtime for students who are already stretched.

• Assessment consistency at Key Stage 3. External review notes that assessment practice is not always used consistently in the lower school, which is worth exploring, particularly for families who want very clear feedback loops.

• Admission is criteria-led. With council-coordinated admissions and distance as a key factor after priority groups, families should read the published criteria carefully and avoid assuming that proximity guarantees a place.

Selly Park Girls’ School combines clear expectations, strong progress measures, and a genuinely planned personal development programme. The curriculum breadth, including applied and technical options, will suit students whose strengths extend beyond a purely Ebacc-focused route, while the structured academic support offer can help ambitious students push further.

Best suited to families seeking a girls’ state secondary with orderly routines, strong progress from starting points, and a wide set of cultural and enrichment experiences, and who are comfortable planning a post-16 move at the end of Year 11.