Harborne Academy
Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3JLOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Harborne Academy is a secondary school in Birmingham for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 501 schools in Birmingham. It ranks 37th of 87 secondary schools in Birmingham. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in June 2017.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 20 June 2017, report published 10 July 2017
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 15 November 2022
'Aspire, Believe, Achieve' is at the heart of Harborne Academy. Aspirational words and images surround pupils in corridors and classrooms. Pupils welcome these. Pupils and staff share positive and respectful relationships. Pupils value the support staff give them. This motivates pupils to achieve well, and they do. Pupils are happy and safe at school. There is a purposeful atmosphere around school. Learning is rarely disrupted by inappropriate behaviour. Teachers act quickly and efficiently to address any behaviour issues. During social times, pupils behave very well. Pupils report few instances of bullying. If bullying occurs, leaders deal with it swiftly and effectively. Leaders have made recent changes to their ambitious curriculum, especially in key stage 3. In many subjects, teachers ensure that pupils learn and remember key knowledge to help them learn new things. Pupils regularly take part in a range of clubs. For example, sports clubs run alongside board games in the atrium every lunchtime. The 'coding club' supports pupils interested in computer science. Year 9 pupils lead a well-used library every breaktime and lunchtime. Pupils respect this space. They revise, read for pleasure and research information to support their learning.
What the school should improve
- Not all teachers use the correct subject-specific vocabulary consistently. This means that pupils develop misunderstandings and misconceptions on some occasions. Leaders should ensure that all teachers use accurate subject-specific vocabulary to ensure that pupils do not learn incorrect subject knowledge.
- Some teachers do not use assessments effectively to check what pupils know and can remember in a few subjects. Therefore, some pupils have gaps in their learning which makes it harder for them to learn new things. Leaders should ensure that all teachers regularly check what pupils have learned so that any gaps in learning are identified and addressed quickly.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
119 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
627 pupils on roll, with places for 600
Schools near Harborne Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgbaston High School for Girls | 0.5 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 39.7 |
| St George's School Edgbaston | 0.8 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 41.1 |
| Mander Portman Woodward Independent College | 0.9 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 32.8 |
| King Edward VI High School for Girls | 0.9 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 44.6 |
| St Paul's School for Girls | 1 mile | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 61.0 |
School details
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- HARBORNE ACADEMY
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Sarah Ross
- Phone
- 01214642737
- Address
- Harborne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3JL
- Local authority
- Birmingham
- URN
- 136213
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.