Schools by area › Stoke-on-Trent › Birches Head Academy
Birches Head Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Academy
Birches Head Road, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST2 8DD · bircheshead.org.uk · 01782 233595
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Jun 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 31.3
- average Attainment 8 score. Stoke-on-Trent 39.8, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 4.67 mi
- 7.52 km · Year 7, September 2025 entry · Criterion E · Stoke On Trent Council
- Demand for places
- 0.5
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 925
- 89% of 1,040 places
- Local authority
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 41.1%
- First language not English
- 28.3%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2025, the last place offered under “Criterion E” went to a home 4.67 mi (7.52 km) from the school. Source: Stoke On Trent Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 69 families put the school first and 129 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 129 | 69 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 189 | 86 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 197 | 127 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 196 | 137 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 215 | 167 | 0.8 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 – Criterion E | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 4.67 mi7.52 km | |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 31.3, and 17.1% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Stoke-on-Trent it was 39.8, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼31.3 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼17.1% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼39.2% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼25.6% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.62 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 124390)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 1.9 | +1.1 |
| Sixth form college | 19.5 | −9.9 |
| Further education | 52.4 | +8.7 |
| Apprenticeship | 1.9 | −1.3 |
| Employment | 2.4 | −2.4 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 13.3 | −1 |
| Activity not captured | 8.6 | +4.6 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Birches Head Academy on 23 June 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Needs attention
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Needs attention
- Personal development and well-being: Needs attention
- Leadership and governance: Needs attention
- Inspected
- 23 Jun 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Needs attention |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention |
| Personal development and well-being | Needs attention |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
Previously: Inadequate, graded inspection, Oct 2023
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 124390), which Ofsted links to this one.
Report cards, from November 2025
- Feb 2026Monitoring visitEffective action
September 2019 to November 2025
- Jul 2025Monitoring visitEffective action
- Jan 2025Monitoring visitEffective action
Oct 2023Inadequate
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
- Jul 2019Monitoring visitEffective action
Jun 2018Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 124390)
Jan 2016Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 124390)
Dec 2013Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 124390)
What parents said
39% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (28 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 39%
- Positive
- 32%
- Replies
- 28
- 3% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 93% who raised concerns
based on 17 parents (61%) whose child was bullied
based on 11 parents (39%) with SEND