Classpot

Birches Head Academy

Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 8DDSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Inadequate
Oct 2023
Progress 8
-0.95
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.5×
Not oversubscribed
86 1st-choice / 189 places
Ranking
#2,994
of 3,141 nationally

About Birches Head Academy

Birches Head Academy is a mixed state secondary school in Stoke-on-Trent for pupils aged 11 to 16, led by headteacher Paul Masher. It sits within a local authority where the top-performing peers by Progress 8 score are Co-op Academy Stoke-On-Trent, Thistley Hough Academy, and Trentham Academy. The school’s own Progress 8 score of -0.95 places it 11th out of 13 schools in the Stoke-on-Trent local authority, and in the bottom 50 nationally. With 953 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,040, it is slightly below full. The school has no religious character and no sixth form or nursery provision. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023 rated the school Inadequate overall, a downgrade from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018. Behaviour and attitudes were also judged Inadequate, while quality of education, personal development, and leadership and management were all rated Requires Improvement.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressBirches Head Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 8DD
HeadteacherPaul Masher
Local AuthorityStoke-on-Trent
Number of Pupils953
Free School Meals (FSM)36.6%
School Capacity953 / 1,040 (92% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
See an example
One-off paymentNo subscriptionStripe checkout

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

3 Oct 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Inadequate
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Inadequate
Personal Development
Requires improvement
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement

Source: Ofsted, 10 Apr 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

12
Music RoomsSwimming PoolSports HallSixth Form CentreScience LabsTheatrePlaying FieldsTennis CourtsDining HallAstro TurfLibraryGymnasium

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

DanceRugbyFootballMartial ArtsHockeyCricketBasketballRounders

Clubs & Activities

CodingDramaChoirBook ClubArt ClubModel United NationsDuke of EdinburghOrchestraGardening

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultySevere LearningOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About Birches Head Academy

Birches Head Academy has been rated "Inadequate" by Ofsted. This means the school has been identified as needing significant improvement. Ofsted will monitor the school closely.