Staffordshire University Academy Review 2026: A Good 11–19 academy with a clear culture and a strong careers thread

Staffordshire University Academy (SUA) is a state-funded secondary and sixth form in Hednesford, serving students from Year 7 to post-16. It sits within Staffordshire University Academies Trust, with an identity that blends mainstream secondary schooling with a deliberate focus on “life chances”, careers education, and participation in sport and enrichment.

Leadership is stable, with Mrs Rowena Hillier listed as Principal, and she was in post by at least May 2018 (as evidenced by Ofsted correspondence addressed to her in that role).

The most recent full inspection (October 2023) judged the academy Good across every graded area, including sixth form provision. That provides an important baseline for families, particularly given the academy’s improvement journey over recent years.

SUA describes itself as “Team SUA”, and the messaging is consistent across its published materials: a structured culture, clear expectations, and a strong emphasis on belonging. One useful indicator is how the academy links personal development to daily routines, not just one-off events. Students are explicitly encouraged to connect behaviour, routines, and engagement to longer-term goals, and the academy’s RESPECT code is positioned as a practical tool for learning rather than a slogan.

The October 2023 inspection report paints a school where students generally feel comfortable and included, with a notable emphasis on participation. It highlights fundraising activity (such as cake sales for charity), involvement in a local arts project connected to Remembrance Day, and a busy enrichment offer that includes breakfast club and accessible sports options. These details matter because they suggest the academy is not relying on a narrow group of high-joiners, the report notes good attendance at certain activities including among students with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

A distinctive local role is the academy hosting the School Games Organiser function for Cannock and Rugeley, a Sport England-funded programme delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, with an explicit inclusion and participation brief. That is not a typical “sports teams” claim, it is a structural responsibility that brings inter-school competition and leadership opportunities into the academy’s orbit.

The headline context for parents is that the inspection picture (Good across all areas) sits alongside performance measures that remain below England averages, particularly at GCSE. This combination often signals a school that has improved culture and consistency, but is still converting those inputs into outcomes.

At GCSE, the academy’s Attainment 8 score is 35.8. Progress 8 is -0.74, indicating students make less progress than similar students nationally from their starting points. The academy also ranks 3,518th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 5th within the Cannock area in the same ranking set. This places performance below England average overall.

At sixth form, the published A-level grade breakdown is also challenging: A-level outcomes sit in the lower tier nationally on the FindMySchool ranking, at 2,569th in England and 6th in Cannock for A-level outcomes. A*-B is reported at 4.11%, which is well below the England average reported.

Two important interpretation points for families:

1. Sixth form cohort size is relatively small (the October 2023 report records 80 students in the sixth form), so year-to-year volatility can be more pronounced than in a large sixth form.

2. The gap between culture and outcomes is not unusual in improving schools; the relevant question is whether your child needs a highly academic environment to thrive immediately, or whether they benefit from strong structure, close monitoring, and a pastoral and careers-led approach while academic outcomes continue to lift.

Parents comparing local options should use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to look at GCSE progress and attainment alongside nearby schools, it is the quickest way to see whether this profile is typical for the area or an outlier.

The academy’s published curriculum intent centres on careful sequencing and a focus on knowledge and skill development over time. One practical example is the use of knowledge organisers across year groups, presented as a tool to support recall and application, which aligns with a teaching model that values retrieval and structured practice.

There is also evidence of subject-specific enrichment being used to deepen engagement. In mathematics, for example, the academy references maths clubs, in-house challenges, and UK-wide competitions alongside targeted intervention and homework support. For students who are capable but need confidence-building and consistency, this combination can be helpful, it makes support feel normal rather than exceptional.

A wider “evidence-informed” thread appears in published strategy documents, including references to approaches such as metacognition and retrieval practice, and an explicit intention to strengthen first-wave teaching rather than relying solely on add-on interventions. For parents, the implication is a school trying to make classroom learning more dependable across subjects, which is often the lever that shifts outcomes over time.

Where Students Go Next

SUA does not publish a detailed Russell Group progression breakdown on its website in a way that can be used as a statistical destination measure, so the most reliable destination indicators here are the available cohort destinations data and the Oxbridge pipeline figures.

For the 2023/24 leaver cohort, 35% progressed to university, 8% started apprenticeships, and 41% moved into employment (with a small additional proportion into further education). This points to a mixed set of pathways, with a substantial employment route alongside higher education.

Oxbridge is not a dominant feature of the destinations picture, but it exists. The latest available Oxbridge data shows two Cambridge applications and one acceptance in the measurement period. The practical implication is that high academic aspiration is supported for some individuals, but the typical pathway looks broader and more employment-facing than in highly academic sixth forms.

Year 7 entry (September 2026)

Applications are coordinated by Staffordshire County Council. The published closing date for secondary applications for September 2026 is 31 October 2025, with outcomes communicated on 2 March 2026 for online applicants in Staffordshire.

The academy’s own published materials point families back to the local authority route for normal Year 7 admissions, which is standard for this type of academy. For parents deciding between schools, it is sensible to attend an open event and to read the oversubscription arrangements carefully before ordering preferences.

Open events

The academy has previously run an open evening in late September, and open mornings in early October. Dates vary year to year, so treat this as a typical pattern rather than a promise, and check the academy’s current schedule before planning around it.

In-year admissions

For in-year transfers, Staffordshire’s published arrangements explain that applications for academy places are typically made directly to the academy using the relevant form and process, rather than through the main coordinated admissions round.

Sixth form (SUA6)

SUA6 is positioned as a small sixth form with a defined leadership structure (Head of SUA6 is listed as Mr Bird). The academy promotes a blend of curricular study, mentoring, and wider engagement, but it does not consistently publish a single set of entry thresholds on the public-facing pages in a way that can be quoted reliably. In practice, parents should expect course-by-course entry requirements and should confirm these directly via the sixth form prospectus and application process.

Families worried about competitiveness and distances should use FindMySchool Map Search to check the practical realities of where they sit relative to likely demand patterns, even when a school does not publish a single catchment boundary.

The inspection evidence supports a school where students generally feel cared for and where behaviour expectations are understood. A key practical marker is that enrichment and breakfast club are treated as part of the inclusion offer, not just optional extras.

The academy’s published remote education and attendance materials also show a focus on routine and consistency, including structured tutor time, explicit expectations during independent study, and mechanisms for tracking engagement. While those documents were produced for remote learning, they are still useful as a window into how the school thinks about structure and follow-up.

For students who need predictable routines and clear adult oversight, this kind of approach can be a strong fit. For students who are self-directed high attainers seeking a very academic peer environment, families will want to look closely at whether the academic outcomes trajectory matches what they need right now.

The best evidence here comes from a combination of inspection findings and the academy’s own programme documents. The October 2023 report highlights strong take-up for breakfast club, basketball, board games, and netball, which suggests a menu that includes both sporty and low-barrier social options.

Sport is not presented only as internal teams. Hosting the School Games Organiser role for Cannock and Rugeley creates additional opportunities, including leadership development for young people who can coach, officiate, or volunteer at larger events. That is a different kind of enrichment, it can suit students who gain confidence through responsibility.

Careers education is a clear pillar. The careers programme document describes structured activity by year group, including National Apprenticeship Week, National Careers Week activities, access to a careers library, targeted interviews for some students, and a one-to-one careers interview offer in Key Stage 4. The implication is that the academy is trying to normalise forward planning, particularly for students who may not have wide professional networks at home.

The academy publishes an “academy day” structure in its documentation, including an 8.45am start to Period 1 and a structured sequence through the day, with the final supervised period extending to 3.55pm in that published timetable model. Parents should treat exact timings as confirmable, because schools occasionally adjust bells and schedules, but the broad shape is clear: an early start, a tutor slot mid-morning, and a full day with designated study time built in.

Transport-wise, many families will find Hednesford railway station the most relevant local rail link for the area. A school bus route map is also published, and Staffordshire’s school transport timetable pages include named services for the academy, which is helpful for families assessing feasibility beyond walking distance.

As a state school, there is no tuition fee. Day-to-day costs typically relate to uniform, equipment, optional trips, and some enrichment activities.

• Outcomes remain below England averages. The academy is Good by inspection, but GCSE and A-level measures in the available dataset sit below England averages. Families should weigh how much your child needs a high-attainment academic environment versus strong structure and support.

• Sixth form results are especially weak in the published grade breakdown. With a smaller sixth form cohort, results can swing; however, the current headline picture is challenging. If post-16 outcomes are your primary driver, compare alternatives carefully.

• Sixth form entry details are not consistently published as a single clear threshold. Course requirements and progression routes should be confirmed directly from SUA6 documentation before you commit to a plan.

• Open event dates change annually. The academy has previously run open evening and open mornings in early autumn; use that as a planning cue, but verify dates on the academy’s current calendar.

Staffordshire University Academy is a structured, improving 11–19 academy with a clear emphasis on culture, inclusion, and careers education. Inspection evidence supports a positive day-to-day experience and consistent expectations, alongside an enrichment offer that is accessible rather than niche.

Best suited to families who want a Good local state option with strong routines, a visible personal development programme, and a careers thread that starts early. The main question to resolve is academic trajectory: if your child needs top-tier outcomes right now, you will likely want to compare alternatives closely, particularly for sixth form.