Bishop Walsh Catholic School

  • Secondary
  • Academy
  • Ages 11 to 18
Ofsted: Good

Wylde Green Road, Sutton Coldfield, B76 1QTOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Bishop Walsh Catholic School is a secondary school in Sutton Coldfield for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 501 schools in Birmingham. It ranks 3rd of 8 secondary schools in Sutton Coldfield. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2016.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 19 April 2016, report published 13 May 2016

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 January 2025

Pupils, sixth-form students and staff are rightly proud of their school. It has very high expectations of pupils' behaviour. These are rooted in the school's values, which underpin the ethos of a caring community in which everyone is kind to each other. Pupils meet these expectations because they want to do the right thing, both for themselves and the wider school community. On those occasions when they do not make the right behaviour choice, pupils know that they will face a fair consequence and be supported to get it right next time. In lessons, pupils are attentive and apply themselves well to their learning. They make the most of the feedback they receive from staff and are keen to improve their work. They like how their 'subject booklets' help them to organise their learning and easily locate things they have learned previously. Pupils value the support they receive from the learning mentors. Consequently, pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stages in their education. Pupils benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including many sports clubs and performing arts activities. Many play an active part in the school community, including as members of the chaplaincy team, school council and the eco-team.

What the school should improve

  • The curriculum is not consistently implemented to the same high standard across the school. These small pockets of variation mean that some pupils are not learning in the same depth as others. The school should ensure that the best practice is shared and built on so that the quality of education is of a consistently high standard in all subjects and key stages.
  • The school has not ensured that staff have a precise enough understanding of how they should support disadvantaged pupils. As a result, some disadvantaged pupils do not achieve as well as their peers. Their levels of absence are higher than other pupils in the school. The school should ensure that staff at all levels understand their roles and responsibilities in securing the best possible outcomes for these pupils.

Exam results

GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25

172 pupils in the year group

Attainment 8 score56.0

56.0, 9.9 above the England average of 46.1.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths64.5%

64.5%, 19.1 percentage points above the England average of 45.4%.

Grade 4 or above in English and maths80.2%

80.2%, 15.4 percentage points above the England average of 64.8%.

Pupils entering the EBacc22.7%

22.7%, 17.8 percentage points below the England average of 40.5%.

EBacc average point score4.66

4.66, 0.57 above the England average of 4.09.

A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25

112 students

Average point score per A level entry30.53

30.53, 4.47 below the England average of 35.00.

Average A level grade C, England average B-

Pupil numbers and mix

1,076 pupils on roll, with places for 1,000

Eligible for free school meals12.6%

12.6%, 13.9 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language17.2%

17.2%, 4.4 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support13.1%

13.1%, 1.7 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan1.1%

1.1%, 4.9 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Bishop Walsh Catholic School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Plantsbrook School0.8 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 51.8
Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls0.9 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 79.4
The Royal Sutton School1 mileOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 39.7
Fairfax1 mileOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 49.1
St Edmund Campion Catholic School1 mileOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 45.8

School details

School type
Academy converter
Sector
Academy
Trust
ST. JOHN PAUL II MULTI ACADEMY COMPANY
Age range
11 to 18
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Sixth form
Yes
Headteacher
Mrs Natalie Brodie
Address
Wylde Green Road, Sutton Coldfield, B76 1QT
Local authority
Birmingham
URN
140524

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.