Pool Hayes Academy Review 2026: Willenhall secondary with sixth form and strong enrichment

At the edge of Pool Hayes in Willenhall, this is a large 11–18 academy built to serve local families at scale, with an established sixth form and a busy calendar of transition events for incoming Year 7. Pool Hayes Academy first opened in September 1963, giving it deep roots in the area even as governance and leadership have evolved over time.

Leadership has recently changed. Mrs L Macey became Head of Academy from September 2025, following a formal appointment announcement in February 2025. The school is part of Academy Transformation Trust and is inspected by Ofsted.

For parents, the headline is consistency rather than hype. The latest full inspection judged the academy Good, and the day-to-day story is built around clear behavioural expectations, punctuality, and a strong push on literacy and wider opportunities alongside exam preparation.

This is a values-led school in a very practical sense. The academy’s published values are Aspiration, Respect, Excellence, and Resilience, and they appear repeatedly across policies and communications rather than as a one-off strapline. Families considering Pool Hayes should expect a culture where routines matter. The published guidance stresses arriving in good time for a prompt start, and attendance expectations are positioned as a non-negotiable foundation for progress.

The tone is also shaped by a deliberate emphasis on belonging. The mission statement centres kindness and inclusion, which is an important signal for a mixed comprehensive intake, particularly for pupils who need structure and predictable support as they settle into secondary school.

A distinctive feature is how the school tries to build identity through themed activities and events. Focus Weeks are used as an organising frame for competitions and enrichment. Examples include MasterChef-style competitions, charity fundraising activities, and careers and aspiration sessions. That approach tends to suit pupils who engage best when learning is tied to real-world outputs, deadlines, and shared events rather than only classroom tasks.

Pool Hayes is a secondary and post-16 provider, so the useful lens is GCSE outcomes and sixth form outcomes, alongside progress indicators.

For GCSE performance, Pool Hayes Academy is ranked 2,997th in England and 1st in Willenhall for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). That placement sits below England average overall, within the lower-performing segment on the FindMySchool distribution.

At GCSE, the published metrics show:

• Attainment 8 score: 37.2

• Progress 8 score: -0.43

• EBacc average point score: 3.42

• Percentage achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc: 13.5

These figures indicate that, for many pupils, securing strong foundations across the core curriculum is the central academic challenge, and improvement is likely to be focused on consistency across subjects rather than isolated peaks.

In the sixth form, Pool Hayes is ranked 1,786th in England and 1st in Willenhall for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This again places results below England average on the FindMySchool distribution for post-16 performance. The A-level grade profile in the published metrics is:

• A*: 2.22%

• A: 6.67%

• B: 33.33%

• A*–B combined: 42.22%

The practical implication is that the sixth form appears to support a meaningful number of students to achieve mid-to-strong grades, while a smaller share reach the very top grade bands. For families, that matters when planning pathways that depend on high tariff entry requirements.

Parents comparing options locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and the Comparison Tool to place these figures alongside nearby alternatives and see how patterns differ by phase and measure.

The academy’s curriculum narrative is built around “powerful knowledge”, framed as ensuring every child can understand the world and access future opportunities regardless of background. The structure behind this is a two-week timetable model, with lessons described as 55 minutes, which is common in larger secondaries because it allows a stable rhythm across subjects without excessively fragmented days.

Literacy appears as a deliberate lever. The library is positioned not only as a place for quiet study but also as an operational part of teaching and learning, offering homework support, networked PCs, laptops and iPads for independent research, and structured reading support. For Key Stage 3, the school references Sparx Reader as an online reading platform with quizzes and a points system, and sets weekly reading homework within a defined window. For pupils who need explicit routines to build reading fluency, that kind of systematic approach can be helpful, especially when reinforced consistently by form tutors and subject teachers.

In sixth form, expectations are explicit about entry and progression. The published criteria set a baseline of five GCSEs at grade 4 or above (preferably including English and Maths) and describe structured resit arrangements where English and or Maths fall below grade 4. Subject-level thresholds are also stated, including grade 5 in the relevant subject for most A-level courses and grade 6 for Maths. This is useful for families because it clarifies early what is realistic and reduces the risk of joining courses with misaligned prior attainment.

Where a school publishes a Russell Group or named-university breakdown, that can be the most direct indicator of its top-end academic pipeline. Pool Hayes does not present a quantified Russell Group or Oxbridge breakdown in the material reviewed, so the clearest numerical picture comes from leaver destinations data.

For the 2023/24 leavers cohort (42 students), the published progression pattern shows:

• 38% progressed to university

• 12% progressed to apprenticeships

• 31% entered employment

• 2% progressed to further education

This profile suggests a genuinely mixed set of next steps, with a substantial share taking work-based routes or entering employment directly rather than a single-track university pipeline. That can suit families who value practical progression and want routes that include apprenticeships and early employment as credible outcomes, not only as fallback options.

Wider development opportunities reinforce employability. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is offered at Bronze for Years 9 and 10, with Silver available for students who complete Bronze, and Gold signposted as a post-16 or college-stage option. Careers education is also presented as a structured programme built on relationships with universities, training providers, colleges, and employers, which is relevant in a school where destination routes are varied.

Year 7 admissions are handled through Walsall’s coordinated process rather than direct application to the academy. For September 2026 entry, Walsall’s published timeline confirms:

• Applications portal opens 01 September 2025

• National closing date for on-time applications is 31 October 2025 (10pm)

• Offer emails are issued on 02 March 2026

• Late offers and waiting list milestones run through March to June 2026

These dates are important because even a strong preference can be undermined by a late application. The academy’s own admission arrangements for 2026/27 align with the local authority timeline and restate the 31 October 2025 deadline for offers on national offer day, alongside how appeals timelines work after offer day.

Open events and transition support are visible on the school’s communications. For example, a Year 6 Open Evening was scheduled for late September in 2025, which suggests the typical pattern is an early autumn open event. For students who are offered a place, the transition programme includes events such as a Meet and Greet Cafe and a Transition Evening, with timings that have historically sat in late spring and early summer. The school notes that capacity can be limited and booking may apply.

Sixth form entry is more direct and criteria-led. The school publishes minimum entry requirements and indicates that subject-level thresholds apply for A-level study, with additional expectations for Maths. For families considering a post-16 move, it is worth reviewing the subject list and grade requirements early, then using open events or guidance interviews to test fit.

Pastoral systems are framed around attendance, punctuality, and behaviour culture. Published materials emphasise arriving before 08:40 to support a prompt start at 08:45, and set clear expectations that persistent lateness leads to consequences, including detentions to recover learning time. For families managing long commutes or complex morning routines, that clarity is useful, but it also means the school is likely to feel firm rather than flexible.

Support structures referenced in published guidance include an Attendance Team and school-based support routes such as an Attendance Mentor, a Learning Support Unit, and school nurse access, presented as part of the academy’s approach to safety and wellbeing. The school also publishes SEND information and positions inclusion as a core element of its mission, which matters for pupils who benefit from structured scaffolding and predictable routines.

The most recent Ofsted inspection rated the academy Good (inspection date 26 April 2022, report published 16 June 2022).

Extracurricular life is presented as a deliberate extension of learning rather than a bolt-on. The school explicitly links clubs to academic development, character education, and aspiration-building activities. Examples of named academic clubs include Chess Club and STEM Club, alongside structured enrichment through Focus Weeks and activities such as MasterChef competitions, mock trials, student leadership projects, and fire cadet projects.

Performing arts are also a stated pillar. The school references weekly clubs in Dance and Drama, an annual Night of the Stars dance show, and a music programme that includes lunch clubs such as Guitar Lunch Club and year-group choir sessions. For students who gain confidence through performance and rehearsed teamwork, this can be a genuine leveller, especially in early secondary years when identity and belonging are still forming.

Sport is supported by facilities rather than only fixtures. The published description references a large sports hall, a gymnasium, a dance studio, and extensive outdoor facilities, which typically allows a mix of competitive teams and participation options. Trips also feature, with examples spanning UK and overseas travel (including destinations such as London, Paris, New York, skiing, and Spain), plus subject-linked visits such as the Hardwick Hall history trip referenced for 2025.

This is a state-funded school with no tuition fees. Families should still plan for the normal secondary costs such as uniform, equipment, and optional trips.

The published attendance guidance indicates that the academy day starts at 08:45 and students are expected to be in their classroom at that time. For early arrival, the library is described as open for supervised study from 08:30 each morning, which can be valuable for sixth formers and Key Stage 4 students managing homework loads.

Transport planning matters. The school notes limited bicycle storage and advises that, because timetables change, families should verify bus routes and allow extra time due to bus stops not being directly beside the site. It also encourages drop-off arrangements that reduce congestion during peak arrival and departure periods.

• Academic outcomes sit below England average on the FindMySchool distribution. With a Progress 8 score of -0.43 and lower national ranking positions for both GCSE and A-level outcomes, families should look carefully at subject-by-subject fit and how the school supports pupils who need sustained catch-up or structured intervention.

• A firm approach to punctuality is central to the culture. The day starts at 08:45, with expectations to arrive earlier to be ready for learning. This suits families who want a structured environment, but it can be demanding for pupils commuting by bus or juggling complex morning routines.

• Sixth form pathways are mixed rather than university-dominant. The 2023/24 cohort shows meaningful progression to university, apprenticeships, and employment. That is positive for breadth, but families seeking a strongly academic, high-tariff university pipeline should confirm subject availability, entry thresholds, and how high grades are supported.

• Transition events can have capacity limits. The school has run bookable transition activities, and families who want the full programme should engage early once an offer is secured.

Pool Hayes Academy is best understood as a large, community-focused secondary with a clear routine-driven culture, a defined set of values, and a sixth form built around stated entry standards and mixed post-16 outcomes. It will suit students who respond well to structure, benefit from a strong push on attendance and punctuality, and want access to enrichment that includes academic clubs, performance routes, and practical career development. Families who prioritise very high exam outcomes should shortlist carefully, use comparative tools, and ask specific questions about intervention, subject strengths, and how top-grade performance is supported.