Moreton School Review 2026: Bushbury secondary with a shared sixth form route

Moreton School serves the Bushbury area of Wolverhampton, with a clear focus on steady routines, practical support, and widening opportunity for a mixed intake. A distinctive feature is post-16, where sixth form students attend a shared provision, The Amethyst Sixth Form, rather than remaining solely on the Old Fallings Lane site.

Leadership has shifted in recent years. Mr Scott Williams is listed as headteacher, and the most recent Ofsted documentation describes him as interim headteacher, appointed in January 2025.

Inspection status remains Good overall (from the last graded inspection in February 2020), with a subsequent inspection in March 2025 confirming the school had taken effective action to maintain standards.

This is a school that frames its mission around aspiration and safety, with leadership messaging that prioritises ambitious targets alongside students feeling secure and positive about school. One published statement from the headteacher captures that emphasis on standards and day-to-day wellbeing, describing an intention to set high expectations while ensuring students “feel safe and have a smile on their faces”.

Culturally, the most helpful way to think about Moreton is as a “structures first” setting. That matters because it tends to suit students who benefit from clarity, predictability, and adults taking a close interest in both learning and behaviour. It may also appeal to families who want a school that talks openly about supporting young people towards employment and further education, not only academic routes.

The trust context is also part of day-to-day reality. Moreton is within Amethyst Academies Trust, and formal reporting makes clear the trust’s role in governance and oversight.

The headline here is that outcomes sit below England average on the measures available, and the data points to a school where improving progress and raising attainment remain priorities.

For GCSE performance, the school is ranked 3153rd in England and 18th in Wolverhampton for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data). That places the school below England average, within the bottom 40% of schools in England.

At GCSE, the Attainment 8 score is 36.3, and Progress 8 is -0.53, indicating that, on average, pupils made below-average progress compared with pupils nationally with similar starting points. EBacc measures also show a low entry rate, with 12.3% achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc and an average EBacc APS of 3.34. (FindMySchool uses the official outcomes dataset for these indicators and rankings.)

The sixth form picture, based on A-level outcomes, is similar in direction. The school is ranked 2131st in England and 15th in Wolverhampton for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), again below England average and within the bottom 40% of schools in England. A-level attainment shows 28.81% of grades at A* to B, and 10.17% at A* to A, which is below the England averages (A* to B: 47.2%; A* to A: 23.6%).

What this means for families is fairly practical. If your child is already thriving academically with minimal support, you will likely want to probe subject-by-subject strength, teaching stability, and how the school identifies and stretches higher prior attainers. If your child needs structure, confident behaviour routines, and consistent teaching habits, the school’s emphasis on culture and routines may be the more decisive factor than raw headline measures.

Parents comparing nearby schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these results side by side using the Comparison Tool, which is often the quickest way to sense local context rather than reading measures in isolation.

Moreton presents its curriculum intent as knowledge-led and academically challenging, with enrichment positioned as part of the learning model rather than an add-on. The practical implication is that families should expect a core curriculum focused on building subject foundations, plus a layer of structured activity and intervention designed to help students catch up, consolidate, or extend.

Department-level enrichment detail suggests that co-curricular work is not limited to sport. Mathematics highlights a Chess Club, framed as both social and problem-solving development, plus a lunchtime gaming club initiative. English describes a programme that includes theatre trips and in-school competitions such as Quote-Off challenges, poetry recitals, and creative writing workshops.

In practice, these specifics matter because they show how the school tries to make academic identity visible. For a student who struggles to see “why” English or maths matters, competitions and clubs can provide a different route into confidence. For more able students, it is also a sign that departments are building pathways beyond the standard lesson sequence.

Sixth form route

A key structural point is that post-16 provision is delivered through a shared model. Formal reporting states that Moreton and another secondary school opened The Amethyst Sixth Form, where all post-16 students attend. For some families, this is a major advantage, a fresh environment at 16, wider course planning, and access to facilities designed specifically for sixth form life. For others, it is a transition to weigh carefully, especially if a student benefits from continuity or finds change challenging.

Destinations and progression

The school does not publish detailed Oxbridge or Russell Group destination numbers in the sources reviewed, so the most usable destinations picture comes from the available leavers data. For the 2023 to 2024 cohort (27 students), 37% progressed to university, 4% to apprenticeships, and 33% entered employment (with further education recorded as 0%).

The implication is that Moreton’s sixth form outcomes appear mixed by design as well as by result, with visible routes into employment and apprenticeships alongside university progression. For families, the right question to ask is not only “how many go to university”, but also “how strong is guidance for the route my child wants”, including course choice, work experience, and application support.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through the City of Wolverhampton Council, rather than applying directly to the school, and the school’s admissions page states a 31 October deadline for Year 7 applications. Because today is 23 January 2026, that deadline has already passed for September 2026 entry, so families looking for a September 2026 start should check the council’s timetable for late applications and waiting list processes.

Open events are an important practical step for families weighing up fit. The council’s secondary booklet lists multiple Moreton open opportunities clustered in mid to late September, including daytime tours and evening sessions (for example, dates shown include 16 to 19 September and 24 September, in the published cycle). The best way to use this information is to treat it as a typical seasonal pattern and confirm the exact dates each year.

In-year admissions are possible at any point during the school year, with routes set out via the local authority.

For sixth form entry, Amethyst Sixth Form sets published entry criteria by pathway. For an academic route, it states a minimum of five GCSEs at grade 5 including English and mathematics, plus an average points score threshold for a full A-level study programme; vocational or hybrid routes have a lower GCSE grade threshold alongside an average points score requirement. The practical takeaway is that post-16 entry is conditional and criteria-driven, so students should discuss subject-level requirements early, especially where a course is competitive or externally delivered through consortium arrangements.

Families considering admissions in a tight window should use the FindMySchool Map Search to sense journey time and practical feasibility alongside preference planning, particularly when weighing several Wolverhampton options that can feel similar on paper.

The strongest evidence on wellbeing comes from the school’s stated priorities and the way it frames routines, support, and safety across the school day. That shows up in the emphasis on students feeling safe, and in the structured timetable and supervised opportunities around breakfast, lunch, and after school activities.

A notable operational point from the most recent Ofsted documentation is that the school uses a combination of registered alternative provisions to support a very small number of pupils. For families, this raises a sensible question to explore during a visit: how the school decides on an alternative provision placement, how it quality-assures that provision, and how it reintegrates pupils into mainstream learning where appropriate.

Moreton’s co-curricular offer is best understood as a blend of participation opportunities and targeted programmes that link directly to personal development and employability.

At subject level, there are specific academic clubs and competitions that provide variety without relying only on sport. Chess Club is explicitly highlighted by mathematics as a popular option across year groups, and English describes structured activities such as Quote-Off challenges, debate opportunities, poetry recitals, and creative writing workshops. These details matter because they offer low-barrier entry points for students who are not immediately drawn to traditional team sport, but still want a structured, social activity that develops confidence.

Outdoor and leadership programmes also feature. The school runs the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Bronze and Silver levels with qualified staff leading and external verification, which is a meaningful signal of sustained commitment rather than a one-off trip model. The school also references Forest Schools, positioned as building outdoor confidence and linking into later participation in Duke of Edinburgh pathways.

Sport provision is supported by facility investment. School communications reference upgrades including a 3G MUGA and new netball and basketball courts, alongside a wider programme of breakfast and lunchtime clubs and multiple after-school options through the week.

For post-16, Amethyst Sixth Form adds distinctive pathways including the PSG Academy West Midlands Football Academy and an Amethyst Basketball Academy, alongside A-level and vocational routes. For students who want to combine study with an intensive sport pathway, this is a clearly defined offer that may be a deciding factor.

The published school day structure is detailed and worth reading closely because timings vary by year group and by day. Breakfast club starts at 8.00am, student entrance opens at 8.20am, and lessons begin at 8.30am. Monday to Thursday, the school day ends at 3.10pm. Friday runs on a different structure, with period timings published and a shorter end-of-day sequence for some year groups.

There is no nursery provision. For families managing wraparound care needs (especially with older siblings in primary), it is sensible to ask directly about after-school supervision, enrichment timetables, and how club schedules operate across the week, as these can shift termly.

For travel, the school’s setting in Bushbury means most families rely on walking routes, local bus links, or short car journeys. The practical test is the morning run: families should time a typical commute at school start and finish to see how workable it feels.

• Below-average progress at GCSE. A Progress 8 score of -0.53 indicates pupils made below-average progress from their starting points on this measure. Families should ask how the school targets improvement, particularly for pupils close to key grade thresholds.

• EBacc entry is low. With 12.3% achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc, the curriculum mix may be less EBacc-heavy than many schools. This can suit some students; others aiming for a more traditional academic suite should ask how option choices are guided.

• Sixth form is delivered off-site through a shared model. The Amethyst Sixth Form structure can be a strong opportunity at 16, but it is an additional transition. Families should consider how their child handles change and what support exists for moving into the shared provision.

• Admissions deadlines are fixed and early. The Year 7 application deadline is stated as 31 October. Families new to Wolverhampton admissions should plan well ahead to avoid missing key dates.

Moreton School is best understood as a structured, community-facing secondary serving Bushbury and surrounding areas, with an explicit focus on raising aspirations and providing clear routines. Outcomes data suggests improvement work remains important, especially around GCSE progress and academic breadth. The shared sixth form route is a distinctive feature and will suit students who welcome a fresh post-16 setting and broader pathways.

Who it suits: families looking for a local Wolverhampton secondary with clear daily structure, accessible enrichment, and a defined post-16 route that includes vocational and sport academy pathways. The key decision point is whether your child will benefit from the school’s culture and support model, and whether the post-16 transition to Amethyst Sixth Form feels like an advantage.