Calthorpe Academy

Special academy · All-through, ages 2 to 19 · Mixed · Nursery class · Sixth form

Part of THRIVE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP

Darwin Street, Highgate, Birmingham, B12 0TP

0121 773 4637 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 28 November 2017; confirmed 2023
Pupils461Room for 450 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 387 in 2019, 397 in 2021, 427 in 2022, 428 in 2023, 432 in 2024, 430 in 2025, 461 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals68%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 28 November 2017.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Outcomes for pupilsGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Early yearsGood
Sixth formGood
SafeguardingEffective

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 5 October 2023: Ofsted found the school was still Good.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

21 pupils in this year group.

0% — 63 points below the Birmingham average, and 62 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolBirminghamEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 63% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 8% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 0% 75% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 0% 72% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 0% 75% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 106 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 105 105

"Not published": No figure published.

Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 0%This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 62% 2022/23 0% 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

46 pupils in this year group.

MeasureThis schoolBirminghamEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths Not published 45% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. Not published 46.6 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. Not published 4.2 4.1

"Not published": No pupils were entered.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 2%This school 2023/24: 0% This school England 45% 2022/23 2% 2023/24 0% 2024/25 –

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

42 pupils in this year group.

98% — 8 points above the Birmingham average, and 6 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolBirminghamEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 98% 90% 92%
School sixth form 2% 33% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 13% 13%
Further education college 0% 39% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 1% 3%
Work 0% 1% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
98%98%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Birmingham. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Birmingham

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Severe learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolBirminghamEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 74.1% 64.2%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 99.6%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.4%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 32.8% 29.6%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 14.0% 13.8%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 40.0% 39.0%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.0 7.2 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 0.0% 3.5% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.10% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 7.4 6.9 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 2.0 2.7 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 10.0% 19.6%* 14.3%*

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby special schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Calthorpe Academy's Ofsted rating?

Calthorpe Academy was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 28 November 2017. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 5 October 2023, Ofsted found the school was still Good.

How did Calthorpe Academy do in its GCSEs?

DfE didn't publish this figure for 2024/25. No pupils were entered.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.