Chase Terrace Academy Review 2026, an improving 11 to 18 academy with a structured school day and a clear emphasis on personal development

The day starts early and deliberately. At 08:30, pupils begin with a Personal Development lesson before Period 1 at 09:00, and the formal teaching day runs through to Period 5 ending at 15:00.

Leadership has been stable through a period of change. Ms Nicola Mason took on substantive responsibility as headteacher on 01 April 2022, the same date the school joined the John Taylor Multi Academy Trust.

The April 2025 Ofsted inspection graded the school as Good for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision.

The same report confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Academically, published outcomes place the school below England average on FindMySchool’s GCSE and A level ranking measures, so the story here is less about headline results and more about the building blocks that lead to improvement, such as reading, attendance, subject sequencing, and consistent checking of understanding. Those foundations show up repeatedly in the school’s own materials and in external evidence, and they matter for families deciding whether this is the right fit.

Chase Terrace Academy presents itself as a school with clear expectations and a shared language for behaviour and belonging. The “CTA way” is framed around community, tenacity and aspiration, which are used as reference points in how pupils are expected to conduct themselves and how staff set standards.

A strong feature is the way pastoral routines are built into the timetable rather than added as an occasional bolt on. Starting each day with Personal Development signals that relationships, habits, and preparation for adulthood are treated as part of core learning time. For many families, this can be a practical advantage. It gives pupils a predictable daily “reset” point, and it also provides structured space for topics such as relationships, online safety, health, careers, and wider citizenship, which are often where secondary school experiences differ most in real life.

The house system adds an extra layer of identity for pupils, and it is not positioned as purely sporting. The houses are Brocket, Elk, Fallow and Sika, and the school links house membership to rewards, competitions and participation across the year. This kind of system tends to suit pupils who enjoy working towards visible goals, whether those are behaviour milestones, attendance improvements, or participation targets. For quieter pupils, it can also provide a smaller “home group” within a large 11 to 18 setting.

Facilities and internal spaces also matter for day to day feel. The school refers to a central library that is used both for lessons and for social time, and it positions reading as a priority rather than a niche intervention. In addition, there is evidence of investment in communal spaces, including a newly refurbished auditorium which has returned to use for whole year assemblies. In a school of this size, those shared spaces influence culture, because they make it easier to run consistent year group messaging and to celebrate achievements publicly.

Finally, it is worth understanding the wider setting. Burntwood and the Chase Terrace area have a mix of local primary feeders and a broad secondary intake, and the admissions information makes clear that, while the academy is often oversubscribed, pupils have secured places from several miles away in recent years. That pattern usually creates a school that functions both as a local community option and as a destination choice for families looking for a particular approach.

For parents, it helps to separate two questions. First, what do published outcomes say today. Second, what does the school appear to be doing that could change those outcomes over time.

GCSE outcomes and ranking context

On FindMySchool’s current GCSE ranking (based on official results data), the school is ranked 2,905th out of 3,688 schools in England for overall GCSE outcomes and 2nd locally within the Burntwood area, placing it below England average overall and toward the lower part of the national table.

The figures show an Attainment 8 score of 44.3 and an EBacc average point score of 3.8. The proportion entering EBacc subjects is 36.8%. The percentage achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc is listed as 12.3%.

A Progress 8 score of -0.45 indicates that, on average, pupils made less progress than similar pupils nationally from the end of primary to the end of Key Stage 4 in the measurement year.

This combination points to a school where curriculum and classroom consistency matter a great deal. When Progress 8 is negative, families should focus on what the school does for pupils who arrive with weaker literacy, on the stability of behaviour and attendance, and on how effectively teaching checks and addresses misconceptions early.

A level outcomes and ranking context

On FindMySchool’s current A level academic ranking (based on official outcomes data), the sixth form is ranked 1,523rd out of 2,549 schools in England, while the Burntwood sixth-form table places it 1st locally. That remains a mixed post-16 results picture rather than a top-tier national one.

The A level grade profile indicates 10% of entries at A*, 10% at A, 30% at B, and 40% achieving A* to B across 151 exam entries. In practical terms, this is a mixed attainment picture, and it reinforces the importance of subject choice, entry requirements, and the fit between a student’s strengths and the programme selected.

What the evidence suggests about trajectory

The most useful academic signals in the current evidence are the systems and routines that underpin improvement, because those typically shift outcomes over multiple years.

Reading is positioned as a priority. There are individual interventions for pupils who need additional support with reading, and the library is described as a well used space both academically and socially. A school that invests in reading tends to see benefits across the curriculum, especially in humanities, science, and vocational subjects where exam performance depends heavily on comprehension, extended writing, and command of specialist vocabulary.

Curriculum structure also appears to be carefully planned from Year 7 through Year 13, with an ambition to increase access to the EBacc suite of subjects over time. For families, that matters because it signals that the school is not relying on short term boosts, but is attempting to improve knowledge sequencing and subject coverage from the early years of secondary.

One clear area for ongoing improvement is consistency of checking understanding. When teachers do not identify misconceptions early, gaps persist and pupils can struggle as tasks become more complex. For parents of children who need frequent feedback and reassurance, this is an important point to explore during open events or tours, particularly in mathematics and science where misconceptions compound quickly.

Teaching at Chase Terrace Academy is framed around clear explanations and structured activity selection. That approach often benefits pupils who want lessons to feel purposeful and who respond well to explicit instruction rather than open ended discovery learning.

The school’s own prospectus offers a window into the mechanisms that sit behind teaching. One example is its use of “Knowledge Organisers” as a tool to help pupils prepare for topics and revise core content, supporting home learning and retrieval practice. For a pupil who is organised and likes clear expectations, this can reduce anxiety because they can see what “good” looks like in advance. For a pupil who is disorganised, the same tools only work if adults consistently reinforce how they are used, so families may want to ask how homework routines and checking are handled in Key Stage 3.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described as precise in identification and grounded in staff having detailed information about needs, with appropriate adaptations in lessons. That detail matters because it suggests a move away from generic support and towards adjustments that actually change how a pupil accesses learning.

Post 16 teaching and course fit is another key factor. The sixth form publishes a broad menu that includes A level subjects such as English, mathematics, psychology, sociology, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, history, philosophy and ethics, plus creative options such as photography and art, alongside vocational courses including sport, business, creative media, criminology, health and social care, and BTEC science. It also offers GCSE resits in English language and mathematics where needed.

The practical implication is that the sixth form is designed to cater for more than one type of learner. Students aiming for traditional academic degrees have a conventional A level route, while those seeking applied learning have viable alternatives. The essential question is how entry requirements are set and enforced by subject, because a broad offer only delivers strong outcomes if students are placed on courses they can succeed in.

Where Students Go Next

Chase Terrace Academy is a secondary school with a sixth form, so destinations happen at multiple points, after Year 11 for those who move to college or training, and after Year 13 for those who finish sixth form.

The published destination data for the 2023 to 2024 leavers cohort shows a mixed set of routes. 56% progressed to university, 9% went into apprenticeships, 1% into further education, and 24% into employment. Cohort size is listed as 70.

This profile fits a sixth form that supports a spread of ambitions rather than a narrow pathway. University remains the most common destination, but it is not the only one. The presence of apprenticeships as a meaningful route is important for parents who value technical training and employment linked pathways, and it is consistent with a school that highlights careers activity and employer engagement.

From a decision making perspective, families should treat destinations as a conversation starter rather than a headline. The right questions tend to be: how does the school support students in choosing between A levels and vocational options, how early do careers conversations begin, and how is guidance tailored for students who are unsure at the end of Year 11.

Year 7 admissions for September 2027 entry are handled through Staffordshire County Council rather than directly by the academy.

For that same intake cycle, the county admissions guidance states that applications should be made via the local authority’s secondary portal and that the deadline is 31 October 2026, with outcomes communicated on 1 March 2027.

Demand signals can change year to year, so historic application ratios should be treated as context rather than a guarantee. Families should apply on time and compare travel distance and realistic alternatives before submitting preferences.

In year admissions are supported through a school form or the county route, and the academy states that visits are welcomed at any stage. For families moving into the area mid year, the best approach is to ask directly about year group capacity and waiting list movement, then compare that to alternatives within realistic travel distance.

Sixth form admissions are managed by the school itself, and the academy indicates that external applicants are welcomed. For the September 2026 intake, the sixth form deadline published on the school site was Monday 01 December, with a route for late applications thereafter.

If you are comparing admissions pressure across nearby options, use the FindMySchool Comparison Tool to view outcomes and demand side by side. For families trying to understand what “oversubscribed” will mean in practice for them, the FindMySchoolMap Search can help you model realistic travel distances and shortlisting.

Pastoral care is described as embedded through form tutors, year linked Progress Teams, and a start of day Personal Development structure that keeps wellbeing and preparation for adulthood visible.

There is also evidence of specific wellbeing initiatives. The prospectus references a mental health and wellbeing initiative called THRIVE, plus trained Mental Health First Aiders and pupil Wellbeing Ambassadors who provide peer level support and a route into adult help. In addition, first aid capacity and medical care plans are described as part of a wider approach to safety and inclusion.

Attendance is treated as a priority, and the evidence is candid that too many pupils are not in school regularly enough, with a bigger impact on more vulnerable pupils. For parents, this matters for two reasons. First, it is a direct predictor of attainment, because missed learning time compounds. Second, it often shapes the classroom environment, because persistent absence can lead to uneven knowledge, which in turn increases behaviour and engagement challenges.

A practical pastoral feature that will appeal to many families is the school’s reference to providing breakfast to support punctuality, and to ensure pupils start the day ready to learn. When breakfast provision is universal or widely accessible, it can also reduce stigma and remove a barrier for families managing early morning routines.

Extracurricular life is one of the clearest areas where Chase Terrace Academy provides concrete, specific options rather than generic promises. The school’s published timetables and materials show an offer spanning sport, arts, academic support and interest clubs.

A good example is how creative and practical clubs sit alongside academic ones. Macramé appears as a recurring club option, and the school also references samba drumming, keyboard club, youth choir, doodle club, and theatre company rehearsals. For pupils who do not define themselves through sport, these options can be a genuine route to belonging, and often they are where confidence grows fastest.

Academic enrichment and support also show up clearly. There is homework support, a maths drop in, a chess club, and a Carnegie club listed in the extracurricular programme, plus structured intervention timetables for exam groups. This is especially relevant given the published attainment picture. In a school working to improve outcomes, targeted academic support only helps if pupils attend consistently and if the programme is coordinated with classroom teaching. Families can ask how attendance to intervention is tracked and how it is targeted, especially for Year 11 and for students resitting English or mathematics.

Leadership opportunities are another important strand. The school highlights a Pupil Leadership Team and a Sports Leadership programme. The sports leadership route is described as involving training in coaching, event management and officiating, with involvement in festivals and tournaments such as Boccia. For some pupils, leadership roles are the difference between being a passive participant and feeling a sense of responsibility and pride in the school.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is also positioned as accessible, with Bronze offered as pupils approach the end of Year 8, options to pursue Bronze or Silver in Year 9, and an expansion to include Gold from the end of Year 10 onwards. This is a meaningful commitment because DofE is time intensive and requires sustained staffing, training, and logistics. Where it is run well, it can strengthen resilience, planning, teamwork, and independence, which often translate back into improved attendance and engagement.

Finally, there is evidence of broader experiences beyond the site. The inspection report references trips and overseas visits, and the school’s own communications include examples such as a Year 12 and Year 13 quiz event hosted in the Grand Hall at the University of Birmingham, giving students experience of academic competition and wider civic settings.

The published school day runs from 08:30 to 15:00, with Personal Development at the start of the day, five periods, a morning break, and lunchtime.

Transport planning is important in this part of Staffordshire. For rail travel, Lichfield’s main stations include Lichfield City and Lichfield Trent Valley, which are the most likely rail hubs for families combining train and bus. For buses, there are stops adjacent to the academy on Bridge Cross Road, and families who rely on public transport should check current timetables and punctuality at the times that align with the 08:30 start.

Wraparound care in the primary sense does not apply to an 11 to 18 academy, but breakfast provision is a practical support. The school’s materials reference breakfast being available to pupils, and the pupil premium strategy statements link breakfast provision to improved punctuality.

• Attendance remains a key improvement priority. The evidence is clear that too many pupils are not in school regularly enough, and that this is more pronounced for vulnerable pupils. Families should ask how attendance is monitored, what early intervention looks like, and how quickly the school escalates support when patterns emerge.

• Consistency of checking understanding varies across subjects. Where misconceptions are not identified early, gaps persist and pupils can struggle as tasks become more complex. If your child needs frequent feedback, explore how assessment for learning works in practice, not just on paper.

• Published outcomes are not yet where the school wants them to be. Current FindMySchool rankings place GCSE outcomes in the lower part of the national table, while A level outcomes sit closer to the middle nationally. The school’s systems and routines suggest improvement work is underway, but parents should weigh trajectory alongside current data, especially for exam year entry.

• A broad sixth form offer requires careful subject fit. With both A level and vocational routes, students need strong guidance on course choice and readiness. Ask about entry requirements by subject, expected study hours, and how support is provided for resits and for students balancing applied and academic workloads.

Chase Terrace Academy is a school that reads as organised and increasingly coherent, with a structured day beginning with Personal Development, a clear behaviour framework, and a strong emphasis on reading, leadership opportunities and wider experiences. The most convincing strengths are the routine and systems, the breadth of extracurricular clubs, and the practical opportunities created by the house system, sports leadership, and Duke of Edinburgh participation.

Best suited to families who value a clear structure, who want an 11 to 18 pathway with both academic and vocational sixth form routes, and whose child responds well to explicit expectations and daily pastoral routines. For many, the deciding factor will be whether the school’s improving culture and external judgements outweigh the current published outcomes, and that is best explored through subject conversations, attendance expectations, and a close look at support structures in the years that matter most.