Cheslyn Hay Academy Review 2026: A broad curriculum with a strong character framework and a longer school day

A school day that runs to 4.00pm, with a dedicated final session for intervention and enrichment, sets the tempo here. Cheslyn Hay Academy is a large, mixed 11–18 comprehensive, with a stated emphasis on developing students academically and personally through its ASPIRE framework and wider offer. The academy is part of Windsor Academy Trust, and joined the trust in December 2018.

Leadership is currently with Mrs J Pritchard (Jenny Pritchard), who is listed as headteacher on the school website and in official records, and who took up the headship from 1 September 2024.

The latest graded inspection (October 2022) judged the academy Good across all areas, including sixth form provision.

Daily culture is framed around an explicit character and learning language. The ASPIRE framework is presented as a set of character virtues and learning strategies, developed in collaboration with the Jubilee Centre at the University of Birmingham, and used across learning and wider school life. This matters because it gives staff and students a shared vocabulary for expectations, routines, and personal development, rather than leaving “good behaviour” or “good learning habits” as vague concepts.

The house structure adds another layer of identity. The published house names are Tolkien, Turing, Seacole, and Fawcett, each led by a named Head of House. For many students, this kind of structure can make a large school feel smaller, as recognition and responsibility are channelled through a more familiar group.

The strongest indicators of day-to-day climate come from the 2022 inspection report. Students were described as enjoying school, with positive relationships between teachers and pupils, and behaviour in lessons that protects learning time. The same source highlights a calm and orderly atmosphere at social times, but also points to an inconsistency in routines outside lessons for a minority of pupils, which is worth weighing if your child is sensitive to low-level corridor or break-time disruption.

At GCSE, outcomes place the school broadly in the middle of England’s distribution. Cheslyn Hay Academy is ranked 2,122nd in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 9th locally within Walsall. This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The underlying attainment indicators suggest a mixed picture. Attainment 8 is 46.1, and Progress 8 is -0.22, which indicates that, on average, pupils make slightly less progress than peers nationally from similar starting points. EBacc outcomes also look like a development area, with 13.9% achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc measure, and an EBacc average point score of 3.86.

At A-level, the sixth form sits lower in England’s distribution on the available performance indicators. Cheslyn Hay Academy is ranked 1,757th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 6th locally within Walsall, placing it below England average overall (bottom 40%). On grades, 39.01% of entries are A*–B, compared with an England average of 47.2%, and 12.77% are A*/A, compared with an England average of 23.6%. These figures do not mean strong students cannot thrive, but they do suggest families should ask probing questions about subject choice, teaching capacity by department, and how the sixth form supports independent study.

The school’s curriculum intent is clearly towards breadth, with students studying a wide range of subjects in Years 7–9 and then a core plus options model at GCSE, including academic and more applied pathways. This breadth is also visible in the way the 2022 inspection described curriculum strengthening in Years 7–9 and a step-by-step sequencing example in Spanish (building key grammar before more complex tenses). For parents, the practical implication is that Key Stage 3 should feel purposeful rather than simply a holding phase before GCSE.

A distinguishing operational choice is the 1:1 digital learning approach. The school states that students in Years 7 to 10 are provided with their own iPad for use in school and at home. Used well, this can streamline retrieval practice, research, and feedback loops, and it aligns with the inspection report’s reference to students accessing books digitally. The trade-off is that families should be comfortable with a digitally mediated learning environment and should understand how the school manages online safety and attention in lessons.

Teaching quality is described as generally strong in subject knowledge, supported by trust-wide professional learning, with a clear improvement lever around in-lesson checking for understanding. For students, this can be the difference between “keeping up” and quietly falling behind, especially in subjects that build cumulatively. Families considering the school for a child who needs frequent confidence checks should explore how departments use low-stakes assessment, cold calling, or mini-whiteboard work, and how quickly gaps are addressed.

For a comprehensive with post-16 provision, “next steps” need separating into two routes: progression at 16 and progression after sixth form.

The school’s published destination-style data in the current dataset (2023/24 cohort, 81 students) shows 51% progressing to university, 12% to apprenticeships, and 31% to employment. These figures suggest a mixed pathway culture rather than a single university-dominant model, which can suit students who want a practical route and value early employment as well as those aiming for higher education.

At the academic high end, Oxbridge progression exists but is small in scale. In the measurement period, 7 students applied to Oxford or Cambridge, 1 received an offer, and 1 accepted a place. In a large, mixed comprehensive, this level of success tends to reflect targeted individual support rather than a mass pipeline, so academically ambitious students should look for evidence of structured super-curricular guidance, subject extension, and interview preparation.

At sixth form level, the key structural detail is that post-16 is delivered through Aspire Sixth Form, a joint collegiate sixth form with Great Wyrley Academy. That model can widen the course mix and peer group, but it also increases the importance of organisation, travel between sites (if required for subjects), and clarity about pastoral ownership.

For Year 7 entry, Cheslyn Hay Academy publishes a clear timeline for September 2026 admission. Applications open on 1 September 2025 and close on 31 October 2025, with decisions issued on 2 March 2026. The school also advertises an Open Evening on 24 September 2025. Applications are made through a child’s home local authority, not directly to the school.

In demand terms, the available admissions dataset indicates the school is oversubscribed for the normal Year 7 entry route, with 400 applications and 217 offers in the reported cycle, equating to 1.84 applications per offer. This is competitive without being extreme, and it usually means that distance, catchment, and oversubscription criteria matter in borderline cases.

For sixth form entry (Year 12), Aspire Sixth Form sets a baseline academic entry threshold of at least 5 GCSEs at grades 9–4 (or equivalent), including English and Maths, with additional subject-specific requirements by course. The published admissions arrangement describes a combined Year 12 capacity across both sites and notes that external applicants are welcomed, with a stated minimum of twenty external places, subject to course availability. Practically, this makes sixth form a genuine entry point for students currently studying elsewhere, but course demand and timetable fit are likely to be the limiting factors.

Parents comparing options should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check practical travel realities from home and to sanity-check likely catchment implications, especially where multiple local authorities sit within a realistic commute.

Pastoral structures appear to be deliberately designed rather than left to chance. The ASPIRE curriculum is described in the inspection report as a strength, with planned coverage across relationships and sex education, health education, citizenship, and character development, timed to when students need the information. For families, the implication is a coherent programme that supports safeguarding, respectful relationships, and informed decision-making, rather than sporadic drop-down days.

Safeguarding is clearly a priority. The 2022 Ofsted report confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff training, updated procedures aligned to current guidance, and prompt escalation of concerns. The same report references local risk awareness, including education around criminal exploitation and county lines.

Behaviour management is described as effective in lessons, with high expectations and little learning time lost. The area to watch, again, is consistency outside lessons, where staff application of routines was identified as uneven for a minority of pupils. If your child needs very predictable structures at break and lunch, it is sensible to ask how this has developed since 2022 and what supervision and duty systems look like now.

Extracurricular life is structured around both participation and development. The inspection report refers to an “impressive range” of opportunities, including art club and cooking club, and notes that pupils take pride in sporting success. That picture is supported by the school’s own published club timetable, which includes, among other options, Science Club (Years 7–8), a Maths MASTS Club (Years 7–10), a KS4 Media Club, and a Well Being club. These are not generic add-ons, they align with academic support and wider personal development.

Sport is also a visible pillar. The current timetable includes opportunities such as netball, badminton, girls’ football, basketball, football for older year groups, and trampolining. Combined with the school’s facilities list, which includes playing fields, floodlit all-weather pitches, and tennis courts, there is a clear sense that physical activity is expected rather than optional.

Facilities matter because they determine whether enrichment can be routine rather than occasional. The school prospectus highlights a refurbished library, a Lecture Theatre, a purpose-built Sixth Form Centre, an on-site leisure centre with a swimming pool and fitness suite, an Independent Learning Centre, an Achievement Centre, and a refurbished café and snack bar. For students, this kind of environment can support both quieter independent study and high-energy activity, which is useful in a longer school day model.

The published school day runs from an 8.30am arrival and 8.35am registration through to a 4.00pm finish, with a final “Session 4” from 3.10pm to 4.00pm described as intervention and enrichment. This is a meaningful practical difference versus a 3.00pm finish, and families should plan transport, clubs, and home routines accordingly.

Given the school’s wide intake area, daily travel will vary significantly by family. If you rely on bus travel or a car drop-off routine, it is sensible to validate the plan against the later finish time and any club commitments, rather than assuming a standard secondary-school timetable.

• Progress measures are a watch-point. A Progress 8 score of -0.22 suggests students make slightly less progress than peers nationally from similar starting points. Families may want to ask how the school identifies early underperformance, and how intervention is targeted by subject.

• Sixth form outcomes are below England average on headline grades. With 39.01% A*–B (England average 47.2%) and 12.77% A*/A (England average 23.6%), strong students should explore subject-by-subject support, independent study expectations, and how Aspire Sixth Form manages academic stretch.

• SEND classroom adaptation is not consistent across all staff. The 2022 inspection noted that while needs are identified and shared, a few teachers lacked expertise in adapting learning, which could slow progress for some pupils with SEND. Families should explore current practice and support plans if this is relevant.

• Consistency outside lessons was flagged. The 2022 inspection reported that routines and rules were not applied consistently at social times for a minority of pupils. It is reasonable to ask what has changed since then, especially if your child finds busy social spaces challenging.

Cheslyn Hay Academy offers a clearly structured model: a broad curriculum, a formal character framework, a 1:1 digital learning approach, and a longer school day with built-in enrichment. The 2022 inspection judgement of Good across all areas provides reassurance on core standards, including safeguarding. Entry is competitive but not exceptional for the area, and post-16 is a genuine pathway with defined GCSE entry requirements.

Best suited to families who want a comprehensive 11–18 school with clear expectations, a busy enrichment timetable, and a strong shared language around learning and character, and for students who can benefit from the extended day and the added structure it brings.