Grace Academy Darlaston Review 2026: Values-led secondary with Post-16 in Walsall

A purposeful tone sits behind much of what Grace Academy Darlaston sets out to do. The latest inspection describes a calm, organised atmosphere in a modern building, with students reporting that they feel safe and that behaviour is generally settled.

This is a state secondary with Post-16, serving Darlaston and surrounding parts of Walsall and nearby areas. It is part of Tove Learning Trust and frames its culture through five shared values, with an explicitly Christian ethos in its published vision and values, while not being formally designated as a faith school.

Academic performance is mixed. FindMySchool rankings place GCSE and A-level outcomes in the lower-performing band nationally, while admissions demand indicators point to competition for places. For families, the key question is fit: a structured day, clear expectations, and strong facilities, alongside results that currently lag behind England patterns in several core measures.

Grace Academy Darlaston puts its values at the centre of daily language. The academy’s published framework highlights grace, respect, integrity, potential, and excellence, with short, practical explanations attached to each that are designed to be used by staff and students, not simply displayed. In practice, that tends to translate into consistent routines and a clear message about expectations.

The latest inspection paints a picture of a school that runs to a plan. Students behave well in lessons and at social times, staff are attentive to a range of needs, and students report that bullying is not a significant issue because there are effective ways to report concerns. That combination matters in a large, mixed secondary, because predictability reduces friction and helps students who find transitions harder.

Leadership has moved on since the 2022 inspection, which lists Julie Anstey as Principal at that time. The academy website now names Mr Henry Holland as Principal, and trust and governance materials also list him in that role. While schools can change quickly under new leadership teams, the cultural signals here are stable: a focus on routine, on personal development, and on a sense that students should be known well enough for support to be timely rather than reactive.

One nuance worth understanding is ethos. The school’s published vision describes a Christian ethos shaping the organisation and its values. At the same time, the school is not listed as having a formal religious character in the profile information used for this review. For most families, that means the values language may be more prominent than formal worship requirements, but it is still worth discussing directly during visits if you prefer a fully secular presentation of school culture.

Grace Academy Darlaston is ranked 3010th in England and 3rd in Wednesbury for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places it below England average, within the bottom 40% of secondary schools in England on this measure.

The core GCSE indicators reflect that picture. The Attainment 8 score is 42.1, and Progress 8 sits close to the England midpoint at -0.04, which broadly indicates outcomes in line with prior attainment, with a slight negative tilt. EBacc-related measures are currently a weak point: the average EBacc APS is 3.52 compared with an England average of 4.08, and only 3.5% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in the EBacc measure used here. (All results figures in this paragraph come from the input dataset.)

Post-16 performance, on the A-level dataset used here, is also challenging. Grace Academy Darlaston is ranked 2553rd in England and 3rd in Wednesbury for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places it below England average, within the bottom 40% of sixth forms in England on this measure.

The same dataset reports 8.7% of grades at A*-B, against an England average of 47.2% for A*-B, and 0% at A* or A. As with many school sixth forms, headline A-level figures can be heavily influenced by cohort size and by the balance between academic and vocational routes, so families considering Post-16 should ask for the current subject mix, entry requirements, and the latest internal outcomes by pathway.

Teaching is described in the latest inspection as carefully planned, with teachers checking understanding during lessons and using tests and routines to pick up gaps before they compound. The report gives concrete examples of curriculum design that aims to build memory over time, including regular revisiting of key concepts in mathematics and enquiry-based learning in history to make periods meaningful rather than disconnected.

Reading is treated as a whole-school priority, with the English department leading promotion of reading and regular library sessions in Years 7 and 8. The implication for families is straightforward: if your child needs structure around reading habits, the school is trying to build that into timetable time, not leaving it purely to home routines.

Languages are the clearest development area in the inspection narrative. Inspectors note that very few pupils opt for a language at GCSE, and that leaders were taking action, including the development of a Spanish curriculum and a new leadership role focused on rebuilding engagement. For parents, this matters if you value a strong languages pathway or are thinking ahead to EBacc expectations. It is a sensible topic to raise with staff, because it goes to both option guidance and the school’s longer-term curriculum ambition.

Homework expectations are framed as “Out of Hours Learning”, set through online platforms as well as paper handouts. In some departments, online tools are explicitly referenced for practice and consolidation, which can help students who benefit from regular, low-stakes retrieval practice rather than last-minute revision.

Grace Academy Darlaston’s Post-16 offer is positioned as a mix of academic and vocational study, supported by dedicated study spaces and careers guidance. The latest inspection describes a small sixth form at that time, with plans to expand and an increase in the number of academic subjects available.

Destination data for the 2023/24 leaver cohort shows that 63% progressed to university, 6% to further education, 9% to apprenticeships, and 11% into employment. (These figures come from the input dataset.) The split suggests a school where multiple routes are active, not a single dominant pathway, and where practical progression routes such as apprenticeships form a meaningful part of the picture.

On the qualitative side, the school’s published curriculum overview for Post-16 highlights enrichment and leadership experiences including a Sixth Form Leadership Committee, peer mentoring roles, volunteering, university and careers visits, and work experience placements. The practical implication is that Post-16 here is not only about subject timetables. Students who respond well to responsibility and structured leadership roles may find that these opportunities help build confidence and strengthen applications, particularly for vocational and employment-focused routes.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Walsall Council (or your home local authority if you live elsewhere), rather than directly with the academy. For September 2026 entry, Walsall’s published timeline lists the national closing date for on-time applications as 31 October 2025, with offers released on 02 March 2026. These dates are easy to miss, so families should plan early, particularly if you are weighing multiple schools across authority borders.

Grace Academy Darlaston publishes its determined admission arrangements and notes a Published Admission Number of 180, while also stating that it has agreed to take 220 for September 2026 entry in support of the local authority. Where applications exceed places, the published oversubscription criteria prioritise looked after children, siblings, and exceptional medical or social grounds, followed by distance as a tie-break when needed. The school also highlights that, after offer day, families who accept a place will be asked to complete additional admission paperwork, with a submission deadline expected around May 2026 (exact date to be confirmed).

Demand indicators used for this review describe the recorded entry route as oversubscribed, with 433 applications for 212 offers, which is around 2.04 applications per offer. (This figure comes from the input dataset.) That level of demand does not automatically mean admission is difficult for every family, because local authority criteria and distance patterns vary year to year, but it does underline the value of having realistic fallback preferences.

Appeals information is published with a clear timetable. The academy’s admissions page lists 02 March 2026 as the date of allocation of places, with an appeals deadline of Friday 24 April 2026 and hearings listed for Tuesday 30 June 2026. Families considering an appeal should treat those dates as operational, because late evidence often carries less weight.

Post-16 admissions are separate from Year 7. The school’s “How to Apply” page for Post-16 indicates that applications are made via a digital form, that the school does not prioritise applicants from any individual secondary school, and that an open evening for September 2026 entry was scheduled for Thursday 20 November (listed on that page). Given today’s date (22 January 2026), that event is in the past, but the timing suggests that Post-16 outreach typically runs in November.

Families assessing catchment and travel practicalities can use FindMySchool’s Map Search tool to check location factors against the local authority’s criteria, then validate details using the council’s coordinated admissions guidance for the relevant year.

Safeguarding and student safety are treated as non-negotiables in the school’s formal picture. Ofsted confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective, and the inspection describes a strong safeguarding culture with regular staff training and clear processes for reporting and follow-up.

Pastoral support is also framed as inclusive. The inspection notes that SEND staff work with teachers to ensure students have appropriate materials and individual help when needed, and that students with SEND can access the wider activities on offer. That matters for families who want assurance that extracurricular access is not only for the most confident students.

The school also signals practical support for families. On its uniform guidance, it encourages families experiencing financial difficulty to contact the school’s family support capacity so that students can access the required uniform and avoid missing learning time due to avoidable issues. For parents, the underlying point is that expectations are firm, but the school indicates it will work with families to meet them.

Staff experience is part of wellbeing too. The inspection describes a cohesive staff team, with leaders keeping workload reasonable and supporting professional development. In day-to-day reality, stable staffing and manageable workload are often linked to consistent behaviour management and better communication with families.

Facilities are one of the academy’s strongest tangible assets. The school lists a 150-seat lecture theatre, a Learning Resource Centre, 10 Business and ICT suites, a community assembly hall, a four-court sports hall, an all-weather pitch, a multi-use games area, and grass pitches. This breadth supports both academic enrichment (presentations, guest speakers, cohort events) and sport that can run year-round rather than being weather-dependent.

Extracurricular is framed as “Enrichment+”, positioned as a structured programme rather than informal add-ons. While the public-facing page emphasises the personal benefits of clubs, other published materials point to targeted enrichment approaches, including a specific Enrichment+ initiative aimed at improving participation among disadvantaged students. The implication is that enrichment is treated as part of the school’s overall improvement strategy, not only as recreation.

There are also clear pathway examples, especially in Post-16. The published curriculum overview highlights the Sixth Form Leadership Committee, peer mentoring and support roles, volunteering, university and careers visits, and work experience placements. These are practical, CV-relevant experiences, and they can be particularly valuable for students who thrive when learning is connected to real responsibilities and future plans.

Department-level opportunities add detail. For example, Design and Technology describes lunch clubs in Resistant Materials and Food, which can help students build confidence with equipment and processes outside timed lessons, and can support those considering technical or vocational routes later on. The school also references Duke of Edinburgh activity within its wider offer. For families, the useful question is not simply “what clubs exist”, but “which clubs run consistently, who gets access, and how participation is encouraged for quieter students”. The published signals suggest the school is trying to widen participation rather than relying only on self-selecting enthusiasts.

The published school day begins with student line-ups at 8.20am, followed by morning tutor time or assembly at 8.30am, and the formal day runs through five periods with lunch at 12.10pm. After-school clubs and enrichment are listed from 3.00pm.

This is a secondary setting rather than a primary school, so wraparound childcare is not usually part of the core offer, but the timetable explicitly builds in lunchtime enrichment and after-school activity. For travel planning, families can use the Transport for West Midlands journey planning tools to compare bus and Metro options from their specific address.

• GCSE outcomes sit below England patterns on this dataset. The academy’s GCSE ranking is 3010th in England, within the bottom 40% of secondary schools in England on this measure, and core indicators such as Attainment 8 (42.1) reinforce that picture. This may still suit students who value routine and pastoral support, but families focused on top-end academic outcomes should ask for the latest subject-level results and current improvement priorities.

• Languages and EBacc uptake are a current pressure point. The latest inspection notes that very few pupils opt to study a language at GCSE and that attitudes to languages have been negative, with leadership action in place to rebuild engagement. If languages and EBacc routes matter to your child’s plans, discuss option guidance early.

• Post-16 A-level headline measures are weak used here. The A-level ranking is 2553rd in England, with 8.7% at A*-B. Families considering sixth form should look closely at the academic versus vocational balance, cohort size, and the most recent internal outcomes by programme.

• Admissions have hard deadlines and can be competitive. For September 2026, the local authority closing date is 31 October 2025 and offer day is 02 March 2026. The academy also notes a higher intake for September 2026 than its standard Published Admission Number, which can affect year-to-year pressure and timetabling.

Grace Academy Darlaston offers a structured secondary experience with strong facilities and a clear values framework, backed by an inspection picture of safety, orderly behaviour, and purposeful routines. The academic data used here is less positive, particularly for GCSE ranking and Post-16 headline outcomes, so the school is best suited to families who prioritise a consistent culture, clear expectations, and broad facilities, and who will actively engage with option choices and support available. For those families, the challenge is less about what the school intends, and more about ensuring the current results trajectory aligns with your child’s goals.