Starbank School Review 2026: Large all-through academy with a structured, high-expectations culture

Starbank School is a very large all-through academy serving ages 3 to 16 across three local sites, with primary provision on Starbank Road and Bierton Road, plus primary and secondary on Hob Moor Road. It is part of Star Academies, having converted to academy status on 01 October 2020.

The scale matters. A multi-site model can feel complex for families at first, but it also allows the school to organise provision by phase and age in a clear way. The June 2023 inspection judged the school Good across all areas, including early years, and confirmed safeguarding as effective.

Results provide a mixed but generally positive picture. At primary, attainment is strong against England averages in key measures, while secondary outcomes are supported by a positive Progress 8 score. Demand at Reception entry is high, and families should treat admissions planning as a timeline exercise, not a last-minute task.

Starbank is built around a clear values framework, with the STAR values, Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect, used as common language across phases. A consistent values system is not just branding at this scale, it is a practical tool. It gives staff and pupils a shared reference point for routines, expectations and how the school wants pupils to behave in lessons and at social times.

The leadership structure also reflects the school’s size and sites. Government records list Mr Gaetano Ferrante as Headteacher/Principal. The school has operated with multiple principals leading different phases, and the 2023 inspection report references principals across primary and secondary as part of how leadership is organised. Star Academies has also published principal roles by phase, which helps explain why families may see different senior leaders named for different parts of the school.

A large all-through can sometimes feel impersonal, but the evidence from formal review points in the opposite direction here. Behaviour is described as calm and purposeful, with pupils attentive in lessons and sensible at social times. That matters for learning, and it matters for families who want predictable routines, especially for younger pupils moving from Nursery to Reception and on through Key Stage 2.

Early years is a central part of the story rather than an add-on. The inspection notes clear routines for the youngest children, alongside a strong focus on communication, books, early number, and exploration of the natural and creative world. For parents, the practical implication is that Nursery and Reception are treated as a genuine foundation for later learning, not simply childcare attached to a larger school.

The physical footprint supports this all-through identity. The Hob Moor Road building was purpose-built and opened in September 2016 to house both primary and secondary. This is useful context for families comparing Starbank with single-site schools, because it signals long-term planning for secondary growth rather than a short-term expansion.

Starbank’s performance needs to be read in two phases, because the experience and outcomes in primary and secondary can look different in any all-through.

Primary outcomes (Key Stage 2)

In 2024, 80.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 28.33% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with the England average of 8%. Reading scaled score was 105 and mathematics scaled score was 107. In science, 89% reached the expected standard, compared with 82% in England.

Rankings reinforce the sense of solid performance rather than an outlier result. Ranked 5007th in England and 97th in Birmingham for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), this sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). The practical implication is reassuring consistency: strong attainment outcomes, without the profile of a very small, highly selective primary cohort.

For parents weighing options at Nursery and Reception, the key takeaway is that early reading and core maths appear to be working well at scale, which is often the hardest thing for a large, multi-site primary model to achieve consistently.

Secondary outcomes (Key Stage 4)

At GCSE, the overall picture suggests improving progress rather than headline top-end grades. Attainment 8 is 45.1, EBacc average point score is 4.18, and the Progress 8 score is +0.45. A positive Progress 8 is the most important of these for many families, because it indicates that students, on average, achieve more than similar pupils nationally from the same starting points.

Ranked 1674th in England and 36th in Birmingham for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the GCSE ranking also places the school in the middle range nationally, similar to the primary profile. That can be attractive for families who want a stable, mainstream all-through pathway, with an emphasis on structure and progress rather than a selective or specialist admissions model.

How to use this data when comparing locally

When families are comparing local schools, it is easy to anchor on a single measure. A better method is to triangulate: attainment (what students got), progress (how far they travelled), and the school’s behaviour and routines (whether learning time is protected). Starbank’s results make most sense when read alongside its emphasis on high expectations and orderly learning. If you are shortlisting, the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool can help you view Starbank alongside nearby all-through and secondary options using the same metrics.

The most distinctive academic thread in the 2023 evidence base is the school’s focus on reading and on consistent classroom routines.

In primary, reading is treated as a priority from the earliest stages, with pupils taught to read quickly and supported rapidly if they fall behind. That combination, early urgency plus quick intervention, often correlates with stronger access to the wider curriculum later, because pupils are not spending Years 3 to 6 compensating for gaps in decoding and fluency.

In early years, routines appear deliberately designed to help children feel safe, understand what to do, and build early language and number. For families, the implication is straightforward: Nursery and Reception are likely to suit children who benefit from predictable structure and clear expectations, especially in large-group settings.

Across phases, teaching is described as clear and direct, with teachers modelling activities and checking understanding so errors can be addressed in the moment. Support for pupils with SEND is also described as a strength, including early identification and planned adaptations. This matters because the challenge in a large school is not writing policies, it is implementing them consistently across year groups and sites.

One development point from the 2023 inspection is particularly relevant for all-through parents: curriculum coherence from primary into secondary. The report notes that leaders were still developing how knowledge and skills are built sequentially from Key Stage 2 into Year 7 across subjects, so that secondary learning systematically builds on primary foundations. Families with children currently in upper primary may want to ask how subject sequencing is now mapped across the transition, especially in foundation subjects where continuity is easiest to lose.

Because Starbank runs to age 16 and does not have a sixth form, the key destination point is post-16 progression into sixth forms and further education.

Careers education is a visible part of the secondary offer. The 2023 inspection report references planned personal, social, health and economic education, alongside careers information and guidance, including talks from post-16 providers and employers. It also states that the overwhelming majority of pupils go on to a positive destination when they leave.

For parents, the implication is that Starbank’s outcomes should be judged partly by how well it prepares students to make informed post-16 choices, particularly given that students will need to move elsewhere at 16. A sensible admissions-stage question is how the school supports families with applications to local sixth forms, colleges, technical routes, and apprenticeships, and when that guidance begins.

For primary families, the internal transition into Year 7 is another “destination” point. The school has organised Year 7 entry information and events in the past, suggesting that secondary places are not only for internal pupils, and that external applicants should treat Year 7 as a competitive admissions round.

Admissions at Starbank depend on the entry point, because Birmingham uses coordinated admissions for Reception and Year 7, while academies often manage some other routes directly. The key message for families is to align your planning with the published Birmingham timetable and Starbank’s determined admission arrangements.

Reception entry (September 2026)

Demand is high at primary entry. In the most recent available Reception entry route data, there were 225 applications for 113 offers, which is close to two applications per place. This is consistent with an oversubscribed school and means the quality of your application and its timeliness matter.

For Birmingham primary entry in September 2026, applications opened on 01 October 2025 and the statutory closing date was 15 January 2026. National Offer Day was 16 April 2026. If you are applying in a future cycle, the practical guidance is to treat early October through mid-January as the active window each year, then confirm the exact dates as soon as Birmingham publishes them.

Year 7 entry (September 2026)

For secondary entry in September 2026, Birmingham applications opened on 01 September 2025 and the statutory closing date was 31 October 2025. This is a hard deadline in coordinated admissions, and late applications can materially reduce your chance of securing a preferred school.

Open evenings often sit early in the autumn term. Starbank has previously publicised a Year 7 open evening in early October, which fits the typical pattern for Birmingham secondaries. Families should still treat dates as variable year to year and use the school’s admissions communications as the definitive source.

Site allocation and what it means for families

One detail that is easy to miss is that pupils offered a place may be educated at any of the three sites. For families, this is a practical consideration, not a minor footnote. It can affect drop-off logistics, siblings across sites, and travel time, and it should be factored into your preference decision.

How to sanity-check your chances

Where distance criteria apply, small differences in measured distance can matter. Even when a school is not quoting a single “catchment radius” publicly, parents should check their precise home-to-school measurement before assuming that living nearby guarantees admission. The FindMySchoolMap Search is designed for this kind of due diligence, particularly when a school is oversubscribed.

Pastoral systems at Starbank sit within the same “structured consistency” approach as teaching. Pupils report that bullying is rare and that pastoral support is strong. Staff safeguarding training, record-keeping, and timely action are described as embedded processes, which is what families should expect in a large all-through setting.

Support for pupils with SEND is described as effective, with early identification and adaptations planned to help pupils succeed in the classroom. For parents, this is a useful signal, but it should still be explored with specifics, for example how support is delivered day to day, how plans travel with a pupil across phase transitions, and how communication with families works when provision is spread across sites.

Starbank also uses registered alternative provision for some secondary-aged pupils. In mainstream schools, this is usually relevant to behaviour support, reintegration planning, and meeting needs that are difficult to serve in a conventional timetable. Parents of students in Key Stage 3 and 4 may want to ask how placements are decided, how progress is tracked, and what reintegration looks like.

A school of this size can either struggle to organise enrichment coherently, or it can use scale as an advantage. The evidence suggests Starbank leans towards the second option, with named programmes rather than generic “clubs”.

Sport is one clear strand. The 2023 inspection report references “Star Sports” activities running during and after school, including football, martial arts and boxing. These are not niche add-ons, they are activities that can engage students who learn best when physical challenge and routine are part of the week. For younger pupils, Circus Smash is referenced as a favourite. That kind of named activity matters because it signals that enrichment is organised and branded within the school, which often improves participation.

Service is another strand. Pupils have been involved in fundraising and community support activity, including charity appeals and collections for local organisations. For parents, the implication is that personal development is treated as a practical programme, not only assemblies.

Cultural and language activity also features, with the inspection report referencing a themed “Arabic language day” as part of wider opportunities. For a mixed, mainstream Birmingham intake, this kind of programme can be both inclusion-supportive and academically useful, particularly when it is framed as a shared event rather than a specialist track.

If you are evaluating fit, the best question is not “how many clubs exist”. It is “which activities have high take-up and a clear weekly rhythm”. At large schools, rhythm and consistency usually matter more than the sheer number of options.

Fees: This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the normal costs that sit around school life, such as uniform, trips, and optional activities.

Wraparound care: The school runs breakfast and after-school provision for pupils in the primary phase. Details such as session times, charges, and booking processes change over time, so families should confirm current arrangements directly.

Nursery provision: Nursery is part of the all-through offer, but families should avoid assuming that attending Nursery guarantees a Reception place, as Birmingham coordinated admissions still applies at Reception entry.

School day timings and term dates: Term dates are published by the school, but start and finish times can vary by phase and site. Families should check the most current published information for their child’s site and year group.

Travel and logistics: Because provision is spread across three sites, the practical admissions question is not just “how close are we”, it is “which site is likely for my child, and what does that mean for daily travel”. This is especially relevant for families with multiple children, or parents coordinating drop-off across different settings.

• Oversubscription at primary entry. With 225 applications for 113 offers in the most recent available Reception entry route data, demand is high. Families should treat admissions as a process that starts in early autumn, not in January.

• Multi-site reality. A place offer can involve education at any of the three sites. This can be a positive, but it may also complicate logistics, especially for siblings or parents relying on a single travel route.

• All-through curriculum alignment is a work in progress. The 2023 report highlights that leaders were still strengthening how primary learning connects into Year 7 across subjects. Parents may want to ask how curriculum sequencing is now mapped across the transition.

• No sixth form. Students will move elsewhere for post-16, so families should factor in travel and application planning from Year 10 onwards, not only at the end of Year 11.

Starbank School offers a structured, high-expectations mainstream education at significant scale, with clear values language and evidence of orderly learning and strong pastoral systems. Primary outcomes are a clear strength, and secondary progress measures indicate that many students do well from their starting points. Best suited to families who want an all-through pathway with consistent routines and a broad, well-organised school experience, and who are comfortable navigating a multi-site model. The main constraint is admissions competition at key entry points, so planning early is essential.