Heath Park School Review 2026: Consistent Progress with Outstanding Culture

In the Heath Town area of Wolverhampton, where Wolverhampton Railway Station serves the local community and New Cross Hospital anchors the ward, Heath Park occupies a significant position as a state secondary and sixth form. The school was previously a community secondary known as Heath Park Business and Enterprise College, judged Outstanding at its final inspection before converting to academy status in December 2011. Today, with approximately 1,200 pupils across Years 7 to 11 and a shared sixth form with Moseley Park and partner schools, it stands as part of the Central Learning Partnership Trust. Mrs Georgetta Holloway leads as Headteacher, with National Leader of Education status. The school's latest Ofsted inspection in November 2024 rated behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision as Outstanding. The Quality of Education was rated Good. Most significantly, the school's value-added measure ranks in the top percentile nationally, placing Heath Park 967th in England when combining GCSE and A-level performance (FindMySchool ranking). The recent inspection also noted that students make progress above what would be expected given their starting points, and that disabled students and those with special educational needs make exceptional progress.

Heath Park is an ethnically diverse, inner-city comprehensive serving a community with genuine challenges. Over 50% of the pupil population comes from minority ethnic backgrounds, with the largest groups being Indian, Caribbean, and White and Black Caribbean students. Approximately 25% of pupils speak English as an additional language, and just over half benefit from pupil premium funding. Rather than allowing this context to constrain ambition, the school has actively woven this diversity into its fabric. The school vision statement, "Every Pupil: Always in Focus," runs throughout the culture. Teachers and leaders demonstrate genuine commitment to each student's potential, regardless of starting point or background.

The recent 2024 inspection specifically highlighted that behaviour and attitudes are Outstanding, and that students are proud to attend. This translates into a calm, focused atmosphere where students concentrate on their work, treat each other with respect, and conduct themselves responsibly around the school. The inspection noted that the behaviour team responds rapidly to any incidents — students described them as acting "like an ambulance" in their speed and effectiveness. As a result, exclusions are rare and reserved only for the most serious breaches.

Literacy support has been a particular focus. In the 2014 inspection, approximately 40% of Year 7 and 8 pupils had reading ages significantly below their chronological age. The school responded with intensive, structured reading programmes using commercial packages. Over a decade on, this focus continues, with deliberate interventions ensuring that pupils arriving with gaps in foundational skills receive targeted support that accelerates their progress. The school operates staggered break and lunch times to manage crowding and reduce the pressure points where behaviour can deteriorate. This pragmatic approach allows the school to maintain a supportive environment while managing a large cohort across a compact site.

Facilities have evolved significantly since the 2014 inspection, when building work was extensive. The school now has a 250-person capacity lecture theatre, a dedicated film and media suite, and a food technology room designed for practical learning. The school is part of the Central Learning Partnership Trust and actively sponsors improvement across other schools — a distinction that reflects the confidence placed in its leadership. Leadership development is intentional; outstanding teachers deliver coaching sessions twice weekly, developing the next generation of leaders within the profession.

GCSE Performance

At GCSE, the school attained an Attainment 8 score of 54 in the most recent data, compared to the England average of 45.9. This represents solid performance — students are achieving at a level 8 points above the national baseline. Progress 8 was recorded at +0.79, indicating that pupils made above-average progress from their KS2 starting points. The percentage achieving grades 5 or above (strong passes) in English and mathematics stood at approximately 42%, slightly below the 55% England average. However, this context-sensitive measure is important: the school's value-added metric — which measures progress rather than raw outcomes — places Heath Park in the elite tier nationally.

The school ranks 1,903rd in England for GCSE results (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the solid performance band — in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th–60th percentile nationally). Locally, the school ranks 5th among Wolverhampton secondaries. This is respectable, particularly given the cohort demographics. The English Baccalaureate (a measure of breadth across traditional academic subjects) shows limited uptake, with only 2% achieving the threshold, well below the national average. This is worth noting: families expecting a broad, balanced curriculum including sciences, history, and languages will find these available, but they are not driving every pupil's programme.

Pupils enter GCSE studies in Year 9 and have largely completed them by the end of Year 10 — students sit formal exams a year early in some subjects. For English and mathematics, the majority of students progress beyond GCSE to further study: literature in English, statistics or even AS-level mathematics for the most able. This approach keeps challenge consistent while allowing depth in core disciplines.

A-Level Performance

The sixth form, delivered through the Central Sixth consortium with Moseley Park and partner schools, produced A-level results showing 52% of grades at A*-B. The percentage achieving A* grades (0.08, or roughly 8%) and A grades (17%) combined indicates a strong cohort performance. By contrast, England averages for A*-A stand at 24%, and A*-B at 47%. Heath Park's sixth form sits slightly below these national benchmarks, but the Context is important: this reflects a comprehensive sixth form intake, not a highly selective one.

The school ranks 984th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the national typical band (25th–60th percentile). Locally, it ranks 3rd among Wolverhampton sixth forms. The 2024 inspection specifically noted that sixth form provision is Outstanding, with strong leadership driving a highly student-centred curriculum. This means A-level options are tailored to individual interests, with students having significant choice. The school works collaboratively with other partner sixth forms to broaden the subject offer beyond what any single institution could provide.

Biology, English, History, and Mathematics are strong facilitating subjects, leading to routes in medicine, sciences, humanities, and STEM fields. The school's explicit tracking toward Russell Group universities (Cambridge, Oxford, Edinburgh, Imperial College, and others are named in subject pages) suggests ambition is embedded in the sixth form culture.

The 2024 Ofsted inspection found that the Quality of Education is Good. Teaching is consistently good with an increasing proportion of outstanding practice, particularly in the sixth form. Teachers challenge students appropriately and provide strong feedback. Students report that they trust their teachers, and in lessons where teaching is excellent, students stay behind to improve their work outside lesson time.

The Key Stage 3 curriculum has been compressed into two years (Years 7 and 8), allowing students to begin GCSE programmes in Year 9. This accelerated pathway was deliberate: it allows younger students to benefit from higher expectations and challenge while still providing time to consolidate foundations. In Years 7 and 8, English, history, and geography are taught as an integrated studies programme, deliberately building cross-curricular literacy and analytical skills. Teachers work hard to develop reading, writing, planning, researching, problem-solving, and evaluating skills. Students use these skills across all subjects as they progress, creating genuine coherence in their learning journey.

The school employs intensive support for students with low starting literacy levels. Year 7 catch-up funding is deployed effectively to accelerate reading and mathematics progress. Teaching assistants provide targeted support in lessons, and the impact is measurable: students show considerable progress following these interventions.

Sixth Form Entry and Pathways

The 2023–24 cohort leavers data shows that 59% of pupils progressed to university, 13% entered employment, 6% began apprenticeships, and 2% moved to further education. This indicates a strong academic pipeline but also a practical pathway for students whose aspirations lie in work-based learning. The sixth form consortium structure means that even if Heath Park doesn't offer a specific A-level, students can study it elsewhere within the partnership, keeping doors open for diverse subject combinations.

University Destinations

The school's explicit curriculum pages reference pathways to Cambridge, Oxford, Edinburgh, Imperial College, and other Russell Group institutions. Students studying biology see pathways to medical and biological sciences programmes. English students are told that A-level English is "respected by British universities as a serious and academic qualification" and opens routes across humanities, law, media, and communications. History graduates are reported to proceed universally to university study.

The 2024 Ofsted report and school website both indicate that beyond Oxbridge, pupils regularly secure places at top third higher education institutions and Russell Group universities. The specific names — Cambridge, Oxford, Edinburgh, Imperial — appear across A-level subject pages, suggesting genuine aspiration and structured support toward selective university entry.

The extracurricular programme is extensive and strategically designed. The school explicitly states pride in offering "a broad extracurricular programme that supports learning beyond the classroom," with opportunities across sport, arts, and academic enrichment. This is not mere rhetoric; the evidence base is substantial.

Music and Performing Arts

The school orchestra is a flagship programme, undertaking bi-annual concert tours to Italy. Year 7 students attended a concert by Wolverhampton Symphony Orchestra and the City's Youth Orchestra in February 2025, indicating active partnership with local music services. Pupils can study music A-level, engaging with Western Classical Tradition and developing composition and performance skills. The school runs a school choir and maintains ensemble groups. Drama is equally strong — students perform in school musicals, and the Performing Arts Showcase and "Heath Park's Got Talent" events celebrate achievement. The school's Head Students references performing in school musicals and the National Theatre's Connections programme, suggesting high-level professional engagement.

Drama A-level is available, focusing on acting, directing, analysing, and devising skills. Students have visited theatre productions and studied works including "Taste of Honey." Dance is embedded in the curriculum, with BTEC Performing Arts (Level 3) available in the sixth form. Students explore cultural dance styles including Capoeira and Bollywood, as well as analysing choreographers such as Akram Khan, Zoonation, and Jerome Robbins.

Sports and Physical Activity

Physical Education is not peripheral but central. The school runs multiple sports clubs and competitive teams. Football is prominent — the school celebrates students signing for academies like Aston Villa FC (Year 7 pupil Usman Jimoh in recent news). Teams compete in dodgeball at the Active Black Country Games, with students selected to represent Wolverhampton. Gymnastics competitions see Heath Park girls bringing home 12 medals across categories. Indoor Athletics teams have won Wolverhampton City competitions and qualified for West Midland Finals. Cricket, basketball (3×3 tournaments at Worcester Arena), hockey, and tennis all feature. A Year 7 and 8 group attended Wimbledon, experiencing elite sport first-hand.

The school recognises that not all pupils aspire to elite sport; PE and extracurricular clubs are designed to make physical activity accessible to all while nurturing talent. The school partners with Bloxwich Hockey Club and local swimming facilities for PE lessons and training.

STEM and Academic Enrichment

The STEM Society is explicitly named on the school website. Students engage in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics projects that develop practical skills and problem-solving. Debate is central — the Head Students references DebateMate and Sutton Trust's Politics and Philosophy summer school with Warwick University. Student Council and Peer Mentoring programmes develop leadership. The Excellence Academy is a structured programme running from Year 7 through to Year 11, with tailored challenges at each stage: team building, cultural enrichment visits, personality exploration, motivation coaching, career pathway exploration, peer mentor training, and work experience reflection. Year 11 students in the Excellence Academy are taken to visit Russell Group universities including Oxford, highlighting aspiration embedded in the school's provision.

The Maths Club is mentioned as active, and the school's A-level offering includes Further Maths, positioning mathematically able students for STEM degrees. A diverse range of trips supports learning: students have visited Berlin, the London Paralympics, France, Spain, Belgium, and are planning trips to St Omer. Year 7 residential at Towers Activity Centre in North Wales happens early in the year, building friendships and confidence at the transition point.

Community and Values

The school connects with local community partners: close links with a local church, community tea parties for elderly residents, and the "Inter-Form Bake-Off" competition reflect service learning embedded in school culture. The school actively supports Orange Wolves (raising awareness of gender-based violence) and partners with external organisations like Gazebo Theatre (gambling awareness) and CRY (cardiac screening). The Homeless Feed programme saw sixth formers serve over 100 vulnerable individuals with hot and cold meals in December 2024.

The breadth here is remarkable given the school's state sector status and the community it serves. The commitment to enrichment extends beyond academic high-achievers — the school makes multiple pathways accessible, from sports for all to performing arts opportunities to STEM engagement.

Heath Park is a non-selective comprehensive secondary. Entry to Year 7 is through the local authority coordinated admissions process. The school is consistently oversubscribed; in the most recent admissions data, there were 3.26 times more applications than places available, with approximately 646 applications for 198 places at Year 7. This oversubscription reflects the school's strong reputation locally and its appeal to families across the broader Wolverhampton area.

Sixth form entry is more fluid. The Central Sixth model means applications come not only from Heath Park pupils completing Year 11 but also from external students seeking sixth form study across the consortium (which includes Heath Park, Moseley Park, and Coppice Performing Arts School). Entry requirements are published and grade-dependent. The school explicitly states it encourages students in English and mathematics to continue beyond GCSE, offering accelerated pathways (AS-level for mathematically able students) as well as structured support for those needing catch-up.

The school continues to coordinate with Wolverhampton City Council for admissions, even as an academy. This pragmatic approach maintains integration with the local authority's planning and ensures fair access.

The school day runs from 8:50am to 3:20pm. Before and after-school provision is not mentioned as extensively as in some primary-heavy reviews, reflecting the secondary phase; however, students in lower years (Year 7–9) do access structured supervision and club activities during lunch and after-school time. The Yo! Wolves HAF (Holiday Activity and Food) programme partners with the City of Wolverhampton to offer free, accessible holiday activities and meals for students during breaks.

Transport links are adequate. The school is located on Prestwood Road, near Wolverhampton Railway Station (served by West Midlands trains). Frequent bus services (National Express routes 9 and 59, Diamond Bus 65, and others) connect the school to surrounding areas, Walsall, and the city centre. Walking routes are feasible for students living within the Heath Town ward and adjacent areas. During the 2014 inspection, when outdoor facilities were temporarily unavailable due to building work, students were transported to local sports and swimming centres. Current facilities include on-site amenities, though external partnerships remain active.

The 2024 inspection specifically rated Personal Development as Outstanding. Students are provided with structured pastoral support through form tutoring and the Excellence Academy programme. Peer mentoring is embedded — older students train as mentors to support younger pupils with transition and ongoing well-being. The school employs staggered break and lunchtime timings to reduce pressure points and maintain a calm environment.

The behaviour team responds rapidly to any issues, creating a sense of safety and consistent expectations. Bullying is rare; when it occurs, it is addressed quickly. Peer mentors are explicitly credited as effective in supporting bullying resolution. The school knows individual students well — the "Every Pupil: Always in Focus" vision translates into staff being attuned to well-being and ready to intervene when a student struggles.

Safeguarding is thorough. The 2014 inspection found safeguarding to be Outstanding. The school works with external agencies to support vulnerable families and maintains close links with the local authority and specialist services.

Breadth of qualifications. The English Baccalaureate (a measure of breadth) shows very low uptake. Families prioritising a balanced diet across sciences, humanities, and languages should confirm that their child's GCSE choices allow for this; the curriculum allows it, but selection of highly specialised, applied, or vocational paths means not every pupil will experience equal breadth.

Starting points. The school serves families with significant socioeconomic challenges; just over half of pupils are eligible for free school meals or pupil premium. While the school's value-added approach shows that progress is strong, raw GCSE grades are solid rather than exceptional. Families expecting their child to sit with consistently high-achieving peers may find the cohort more mixed than selective grammar or independent schools.

Facilities and geography. The school has invested in modern teaching spaces (lecture theatre, media suite, food technology), but outdoor sports facilities required students to be transported off-site during the 2014 inspection. While building work is complete, outdoor provision remains managed partly through partnerships with local facilities. Families within walking distance of the school benefit; those further afield should factor in transport.

Sixth form access. The sixth form is a consortium model with other schools. This widens choice but means not every subject is taught at Heath Park itself. For students needing close pastoral support or regular face-to-face teaching, the slightly distributed model might feel less intimate than a single-site sixth form.

Heath Park is a comprehensive secondary that takes its responsibilities to a diverse community seriously and delivers measurable progress. The school is not designed for students seeking to be surrounded by high raw attainment; it is built for students who need challenge that meets them where they are, and support that accelerates growth. Behaviour and attitudes are outstanding, pastoral care is robust, and extracurricular opportunities are genuinely extensive. The value-added data is the clearest evidence: students make progress above the statistical expectation, particularly those with the greatest distances to travel. Teaching is good and increasingly outstanding, and the sixth form is rated Outstanding by inspectors.

Best suited to families within Wolverhampton or commutable distance who value inclusive community, tangible progress, and breadth of opportunity. The school suits pupils of all starting points — high-achieving pupils find challenge and pathways to Russell Group universities; pupils entering with gaps find structured, relentless support. Character development through peer mentoring, student council, and enrichment programmes is intentional.

The main limitation is that raw GCSE and A-level grades sit in the middle-performing band, not the elite tier. Families prioritising prestigious academic credentials or selective peers should be aware of this. However, for families valuing progress, belonging, ambition within reach, and thorough pastoral care, Heath Park merits serious consideration.