The Link Academy Review 2026: A rebuilding academy with clear routines and practical support

A school that has spent the last few years rebuilding momentum tends to develop a particular kind of clarity. The Link Academy’s story is one of reinvention on an established site, with a renewed set of expectations and a strong emphasis on consistent routines. It now operates as an 11 to 16 academy within Dudley Academies Trust, and it has been on its current footing since 01 September 2017.

Leadership is a central theme here. Mrs Emma Edwards-Morgan, appointed Principal in January 2019, is an ex pupil, and the website frames her role as a mission to restore the academy’s reputation and broaden opportunity.

For families, the immediate headline is simple: this is a state school with no tuition fees. The practical picture is also unusually transparent, with the academy day published in detail, including an 08:40 start and a structured five lesson model.

The Link Academy’s culture is built around a defined set of values and a behaviour approach that aims to make expectations predictable for students and families. The Ofsted report describes values that run through school life, combined with calm, orderly movement around the site and established routines for behaviour.

One reason that matters is the relationship between consistency and confidence. When routines are explicit, students spend less energy working out what is expected of them, and more energy focusing on learning. That becomes especially important in an 11 to 16 setting where Year 7 transition can set the tone for everything that follows. The academy’s transition information is detailed, describing staff visits to feeder primaries, induction events, and a block of taster days designed to help students understand systems early.

Leadership opportunities are part of the picture, not an add on. The academy highlights student leadership roles that include helping to organise events, supporting tours, working on “staying safe” initiatives, running charity events, and contributing to recruitment activity. In practice, this kind of responsibility can be a useful route for students who need a concrete role to build confidence, particularly in the middle years when engagement can dip.

It is also worth understanding the institution behind the school. The academy sits within Dudley Academies Trust, which launched in 2017, and the school joined that trust on 01 September 2017. For parents, that matters most where trust wide priorities translate into daily experience. Here, the website repeatedly references Values Driven Expectations, investment in buildings and IT, and a careers programme positioned as a trust strength.

Performance needs to be read in context: this is a mixed intake, non selective 11 to 16 academy serving local communities in and around Dudley. The available data suggests results that sit below the England average overall, with a Progress 8 score close to zero indicating broadly similar progress to comparable schools nationally.

Rankings provide the clearest single snapshot. Ranked 3,241st in England and 7th in Dudley for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the academy sits below England average overall, within the bottom 40% of schools in England on this measure. This is not a judgement on individual students, it is a signal about the overall attainment profile the school is working with, and the level of improvement required to compete with stronger local options.

Looking beyond rankings to core measures, the academy’s Attainment 8 score is 39.8. Progress 8 is -0.02, which is close to the national midpoint of zero and typically interpreted as broadly average progress from starting points, even when attainment remains a challenge.

The most helpful way to interpret that combination is as follows. Attainment 8 reflects where students end up at GCSE, while Progress 8 indicates how far they travel from their prior attainment. A school with moderate or low attainment but near zero progress is often doing a reasonable job of adding value, while still needing to improve outcomes at the top end. For families, that can translate into a practical question: does your child need rapid acceleration, or do they need a structured, steady model that prioritises consistency and attendance?

Official inspection evidence supports a picture of improving practice. The 2022 inspection describes an ambitious curriculum, effective training for staff, and generally strong subject knowledge, with clear routines and a calm working environment.

If you are comparing local schools, the FindMySchool Local Hub pages can help you view GCSE indicators side by side, using the Comparison Tool rather than trying to reconcile different presentation styles across multiple sources.

The academy’s stated curriculum intent emphasises breadth and balance, with a strong focus on vocabulary and oracy, alongside resilience, effort, confidence and determination. This is a useful clue about classroom style. Where schools explicitly reference oracy, you can expect more structured talk, more emphasis on explanation, and more opportunities for students to rehearse thinking out loud before writing.

At Key Stage 3, the website describes a deliberate attempt to make the jump from primary less abrupt. Year 7 and Year 8 are presented as an engaging, competency based curriculum with particular emphasis on literacy, numeracy and digital literacy, described as foundations for later learning.

A defining classroom feature is “Collaborative learning”, with students typically seated in groups rather than rows, and discussion structured in a consistent way across lessons. The implication is twofold. For students who learn best through talk and peer explanation, this can accelerate understanding. For students who are easily distracted, the success of this approach depends heavily on tight routines and confident behaviour management, which is where the academy’s emphasis on expectations becomes relevant.

The inspection report adds operational detail. It describes curriculum plans that identify key knowledge, sequence learning so that earlier content supports later complexity, and develop literacy and vocabulary in all subjects. It also notes that where subject knowledge is weaker, training is provided to improve practice.

Support for students with additional needs is an explicit focus. The inspection references “pupil passports” used in Years 7 and 11 to help plan for students with special educational needs and disabilities, and it notes that subject specific strategies are more developed in mathematics than elsewhere, which was identified as an area to improve. That level of specificity is helpful for families of children with SEND, because it points to both what is in place and where consistency across subjects still needs attention.

Because this is an 11 to 16 academy, students move on elsewhere for sixth form or college. The right question therefore is not “what is the sixth form like”, but “how effectively does the school prepare students to make a strong post 16 choice”.

The inspection report describes high quality careers advice and guidance, alongside plans to utilise trust links with local industry and businesses to strengthen this provision further. This is reinforced by the academy’s careers platform, CareerFit, which points students and families to practical resources such as apprenticeship information, labour market information, creating a CV, and preparing for interview.

The strongest destination support in an 11 to 16 setting is usually the combination of (a) realistic guidance about routes, (b) strong English and mathematics outcomes, and (c) the confidence to perform in interviews and selection processes. The academy’s published emphasis on oracy, structured classroom talk, and student leadership roles aligns with that third element, which can be valuable even when grades remain the main currency.

For parents planning ahead, it is sensible to discuss post 16 options early, including local sixth form colleges, further education routes, and apprenticeships. Families often benefit from looking at travel times as well as headline course offerings, particularly if a student is likely to want a narrower vocational pathway.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, rather than directly by the academy.

For September 2026 entry (Year 7), Dudley’s published timetable states that online applications opened on 01 September 2025 and closed on 31 October 2025; decision emails were due by 2pm on 02 March 2026, with appeals heard in May and June 2026. For later cohorts, the same source sets out a consistent annual pattern, with applications typically running from 01 September to 31 October in the year before entry.

The academy’s own admissions page mirrors the key deadline message, stating that Year 7 applications are normally made by 31 October of the preceding year. It also references open events and tours. Rather than listing dates that may have passed, the academy indicates that it holds a full open evening after the start of the autumn term, and it offers tours on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings during term time.

If you are considering the academy, it is worth approaching admissions as a two track process. First, understand the council application steps and deadlines. Second, use open events and tours to test fit: behaviour culture, communication style, and pastoral systems can vary substantially even between schools with similar exam data.

Parents comparing commuting options often benefit from using FindMySchoolMap Search to sense check routes and journey times, especially where a bus commute is likely.

Pastoral care at The Link Academy is closely tied to the same theme that runs through teaching, behaviour and transition: clarity. The inspection report describes students being looked after well and feeling safe, with a pastoral team characterised as highly skilled, and systems that respond quickly when behaviour falls below expectations.

The safeguarding picture is also explicit. Inspectors confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective, describing a strong culture of safeguarding, detailed records, and regular training for staff, alongside on site support that includes help relating to mental health.

The school’s own safeguarding information aligns with that emphasis, describing a safe, caring environment, intolerance of bullying or abuse, and a safeguarding structure led by designated leads who coordinate concerns and remain available to discuss them.

Pastoral work is not only framed as reactive support. The inspection report describes students accessing a wide set of experiences and learning about life in modern Britain, including student working parties on issues such as anti racism and LGBT topics. In a secondary setting, this kind of structured personal development work can be important for students who need a sense of belonging and a clear moral framework, particularly where local community pressures are complex.

Transition into Year 7 is described in practical steps, including staff visiting feeder primaries, induction events, and taster days to help students form friendships and understand routines. The implication for parents is that anxiety about “getting lost in a big school” is often best addressed by the quality of transition systems, not by raw size alone.

Extracurricular life is most convincing when it connects to the academy’s priorities rather than feeling like an unrelated list. At The Link Academy, enrichment closely follows three pillars: structured leadership, participation in sport and activity, and preparation for life beyond Year 11.

Sport is prominent and is presented as both competitive and inclusive. The academy lists competitive teams across multiple sports, and it frames participation as a route to teamwork and confidence. That is reinforced by the on site leisure centre, which is used by the school and the community and includes three floodlit synthetic football pitches and a large sports hall. It also lists community clubs such as archery and karate, indicating that the site is active beyond the school day and can broaden options for students who prefer structured activity.

A more distinctive offer is the Duke of Edinburgh programme. The academy states that it offers Year 9 and Year 10 students the opportunity to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award in the academic year, and it positions this as a recognised achievement valued by education and employers. For many students, Bronze is a manageable but meaningful challenge, particularly when paired with consistent mentoring from staff. It can also be a strong confidence builder for students who need success outside the classroom to remain engaged inside it.

Leadership is the other pillar. Student leaders are described as supporting tours, speaking in assemblies, running charity events, and contributing to school decision making through reporting to governance groups. This matters because not every student is motivated by grades alone. Formal roles can provide a reason to attend, a reason to be punctual, and a reason to develop communication skills.

Finally, the school’s rewards and behaviour system is unusually specific. Values Driven Expectations is described as rewards led, with named recognition points such as Learner of the Week, Work of the Week, Gatecrasher, Praise Postcards, and Rewarding Effort time or trips. The practical implication is that students who respond to frequent, tangible feedback may do well here, particularly in the early secondary years when habits are forming.

The published academy day starts at 08:40 and ends at 15:10, built around five one hour lessons, with break and lunch timings set out by year group. Year 11 also has an additional session later in the day as part of the Upgrade programme.

Food provision is also clearly communicated. The school’s published information states that the daily charge for the set menu meal deal is £2.70, and it references the availability of options each day. Breakfast club provision is described as being offered at points throughout the year, typically running from 08:00 to 08:30, and the academy also describes a daily breakfast club in its LSU.

Transport is likely to matter for a large proportion of families. The academy states that it sits on the 18 and 81 bus routes and is a short walk from Netherton, which will help families evaluating daily journey reliability.

• Academic outcomes: Current GCSE outcomes sit below England average overall, and the academy’s FindMySchool ranking places it in the bottom 40% of schools in England on this measure. Families prioritising high attainment as the primary driver should compare local alternatives carefully.

• Early start and extended Year 11: The day begins at 08:40, and Year 11 has additional time through the Upgrade programme. This structure suits students who benefit from routine and extra guided study; it can be tiring for students who struggle with long days.

• An 11 to 16 model: There is no sixth form on site. Students will need to transition again at 16, so families should treat careers guidance and post 16 planning as a core part of the journey, not a final term issue.

• Behaviour expectations are explicit: The academy’s model leans on clarity and a visible rewards system. Many students thrive with that predictability; others may prefer a looser approach if they are highly independent.

The Link Academy is best understood as a school that prioritises structure, clarity and practical support, and that has put significant energy into rebuilding culture since joining Dudley Academies Trust and appointing its current Principal in 2019. Results remain a work in progress on the national picture, but progress indicators suggest the school is capable of helping students move forward from their starting points.

Who it suits: students who benefit from consistent routines, explicit expectations, and a school day that does not leave organisation to chance. Families who value the Duke of Edinburgh pathway, leadership roles, and a strong on site sport and leisure offer may also find the overall package appealing.