Star King Solomon Academy Review 2026: All-through Christian academy in Aston, Birmingham

An all-through academy can remove one of the biggest stress points for families, the jump from Year 6 to Year 7. Star King Solomon Academy is built around that promise of continuity, with primary and secondary phases on one site in Aston, and a stated focus on character alongside learning.

The latest Ofsted inspection (carried out in late September 2024, published in November 2024) paints a split picture. Early years and primary education were judged much stronger than the secondary phase, with significant work needed to secure consistent curriculum quality and day-to-day culture at social times. Safeguarding arrangements were found to be effective.

On outcomes, the primary figures sit above England averages for expected standards. GCSE measures are weaker, with a negative Progress 8 score and an Attainment 8 score well below the England figure. These numbers set the context for 2026: there is clear potential, but families should weigh phase-by-phase experience carefully.

All-through schools often succeed or fail on consistency. A child can thrive in primary and then lose momentum if expectations shift abruptly in secondary, or the opposite. The 2024 inspection evidence suggests Star King Solomon’s strengths have been more secure in early years and primary, where routines, reading support, and curriculum sequencing have been more reliably embedded. Secondary is described as being earlier in its curriculum development journey, with turbulence in staffing and leadership roles affecting pace of improvement.

Relationships matter here. Pupils describe warm, respectful interactions with staff and a school that is improving. That is meaningful, particularly given the challenges identified around behaviour at break and lunch, and the need for more consistent adult follow-through when unkind language or poor social conduct occurs.

The Christian character is part of the academy’s identity, but it is not presented as exclusive. The school’s formal designation is Christian, and its wider culture emphasises values and personal development alongside academic learning.

Leadership is structured by phase. Live public information identifies a Primary Principal and a Secondary Principal, signalling that day-to-day leadership is deliberately split to reflect the different demands of early years, primary, and GCSE years.

This section uses FindMySchool rankings based on official performance data. External sources do not override these metrics.

Primary outcomes (Key Stage 2)

In 2024, 70.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. The England average was 62%. At the higher standard, 23.67% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading, maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled scores were 103, 102 and 104 respectively.

Rankings provide further context. The school is ranked 11,122nd in England for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), and 215th within Birmingham. That places primary performance below England average overall when viewed through the national ranking lens, even though the combined expected standard figure sits above the England benchmark. Parents should read that as a sign of variability across the full primary data picture, rather than a single consistent story.

GCSE outcomes (Key Stage 4)

At GCSE, the headline performance indicators are weaker. The Attainment 8 score is 29.8, compared with an England average of 45.9. Progress 8 is -0.83, indicating pupils make substantially below-average progress from their starting points compared with similar pupils nationally. Average EBacc APS is 2.47, below the England average of 4.08.

The FindMySchool GCSE ranking places the school 3,746th in England and 101st in Birmingham, which puts it below England average overall (bottom 40% band).

The key practical implication is that families should think in phases. For a child joining in Reception, the primary picture looks materially stronger than the secondary outcomes suggest. For a child joining in Year 7, the improvement trajectory and curriculum stability in the secondary phase becomes the decisive question.

The strongest evidence sits in early years and primary, particularly around reading. The inspection record describes well-established approaches in early reading, including consistent phonics teaching and books that match pupils’ phonics knowledge. That sort of tight alignment usually translates into confidence for pupils and clarity for parents supporting reading at home.

Secondary teaching has been less consistent. The inspection evidence points to curriculum planning in several subjects being at an early stage, leaving teachers less clear on what content should be taught, when it should be revisited, and how knowledge should build year on year. When curriculum intent and sequencing are still being secured, assessment can become less precise, and pupils can carry gaps forward into Key Stage 4.

There are also signs of ambition in enrichment-linked learning. Public-facing school information references subject-linked clubs in areas such as Computing, including a Coding club, which is a practical marker of a department trying to build identity beyond timetabled lessons.

For parents, the most useful questions to ask are concrete. How is the curriculum mapped from Year 7 to Year 11 by subject? How often do departments use low-stakes checks to identify gaps early? What is the planned rhythm for re-teaching and retrieval? The inspection evidence suggests these are the levers that will matter most over the next cycle.

As a 4 to 16 school, the key transition point is post-16. The inspection record notes that pupils receive careers guidance and information about post-16 options, including technical and vocational routes, which is important in a school without an on-site sixth form.

In practice, families should expect the school’s support to focus on three routes: sixth forms in the city, sixth form colleges, and apprenticeships or technical pathways for those who are better suited to a work-linked route. The quality of GCSE preparation and the stability of curriculum delivery in Years 9 to 11 will shape the range of realistic post-16 choices.

If your child is academically ambitious, it is worth asking how the school stretches higher attainers in Key Stage 3, because strong Year 7 to Year 9 foundations tend to widen GCSE option confidence later. If your child needs structure and predictable routines, ask how homework, intervention and revision are organised, and how attendance barriers are addressed, as absence was highlighted as a material constraint on achievement.

Admissions run through Birmingham’s coordinated process, rather than direct allocation by the school.

Reception entry (September 2026)

For Birmingham residents, applications opened on 01 October 2025 and the statutory closing date is 15 January 2026, with national offer day on 16 April 2026.

The published demand data for Reception shows modest volume in the most recent dataset: 5 applications for 4 offers, a ratio of 1.25 applications per place. This still counts as oversubscribed, but it is not the extreme pressure seen in many Birmingham primary allocations.

Year 7 entry (September 2026)

For Year 7, Birmingham’s on-time application deadline for September 2026 entry was 31 October 2025, with national offer day on 02 March 2026.

Demand in the most recent dataset is materially higher than Reception: 93 applications for 30 offers, or 3.1 applications per place. That is the more competitive entry point, and it fits the pattern seen in many all-through schools where external Year 7 places are limited.

Because the academy is designated Christian, families should read the school’s determined admissions arrangements carefully, including any supplementary evidence requirements, priority criteria, and tie-breakers, before relying on a place.

Practical tip: If you are comparing options across Birmingham, use FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools to view admissions pressure and outcomes side-by-side, and keep an eye on whether a school’s demand is concentrated at Reception or Year 7.

The most reassuring safeguarding point is clear. The 2024 inspection confirmed the safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Pastoral experience, however, is not only about safeguarding systems. It is also about corridors, lunchtimes, and how quickly staff intervene when things slide. The inspection evidence suggests that during lesson time behaviour is generally sensible, while social times have required tighter consistency, particularly around unkind language and respect between pupils.

Attendance is another wellbeing indicator with academic consequences. Absence was identified as a barrier to achievement for a considerable number of pupils, with early signs that work with families and agencies is beginning to help. Families considering a Year 7 entry should ask what the attendance strategy looks like in practice, and what support sits behind it.

The school positions enrichment as part of its character education model, linking activities to leadership themes such as sport, creativity, performing arts, enterprise and careers, and charity.

For pupils, the most tangible benefit of a structured enrichment model is identity. A child who is not defined by test performance can still find a lane where they feel competent and recognised. Public-facing school information points to specific clubs, including a Coding club, and a faith-linked Bible Smart Club. Those two examples alone show breadth, one practical STEM-focused option and one values-focused option.

There are also signs of an active music strand. External trust communications reference a Primary Choir, which suggests structured vocal provision at primary level rather than only one-off performances.

If you are shortlisting, ask for the current term’s enrichment timetable by phase, and check how take-up is encouraged for pupils who need a prompt to participate. In schools where secondary culture is still being strengthened, well-run clubs can be a stabiliser.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual extras, uniform, trips, and any optional clubs or instrumental tuition.

Public-facing school information indicates a structured day with after-school intervention and optional enrichment immediately after the main day, and an after-school club that can run to 6.00pm for those who book.

Travel-wise, the site sits in Aston, close to Dartmouth Circus and the inner ring road approaches into central Birmingham. Families commuting from elsewhere in the city should test the journey at realistic times, particularly for Year 7 pupils who may be travelling independently.

• Secondary improvement needs. The latest inspection judgements indicate that curriculum quality and leadership capacity in the secondary phase have required significant improvement work, and this aligns with weaker GCSE performance measures. This will matter most for Year 7 entrants.

• Behaviour at social times. Lesson-time conduct is generally more settled than break and lunch, where unkind language and inconsistent adult follow-through were highlighted. Families should ask what has changed since late 2024, and how consistency is maintained.

• Post-16 transition at 16. With education running to 16, students need a planned next step into sixth form, college, or technical routes. Ask how options are introduced from Year 9 onward, and how GCSE pathways are aligned to realistic post-16 destinations.

• Year 7 competition. The most recent demand data shows 93 applications for 30 offers at Year 7 entry. If you are relying on a Year 7 place, make sure you understand the oversubscription criteria and have realistic alternatives.

Star King Solomon Academy offers the continuity advantages of an all-through model and a clear emphasis on character alongside learning. The primary outcomes and early years judgement suggest a stronger foundation in the younger phases, while secondary outcomes and inspection findings point to a school still working to secure consistent curriculum quality and culture for older pupils.

Who it suits: families in Aston and surrounding areas who value an all-through pathway, want a Christian-designated school in a diverse intake, and are prepared to engage actively with the school’s improvement journey, particularly if joining at Year 7.