Classpot

Bishop Challoner Catholic College

Birmingham, B14 7EGSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Mar 2026
Progress 8
+0.20
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
205 1st-choice / 210 places
Ranking
#1,078
of 3,141 nationally

About Bishop Challoner Catholic College

Bishop Challoner Catholic College sits within Birmingham local authority, where it ranks 33rd out of 83 secondary schools by Progress 8 score. That puts it comfortably in the top half of the LA, though it trails the three top-performing peers in the area: Eden Boys' School, Birmingham, St Paul's School for Girls, and Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, Birmingham, all of which post significantly higher Progress 8 scores. The school is a Roman Catholic state secondary for mixed pupils aged 11 to 18, led by headteacher James Coughlan, and it is heavily oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 1,015 applications for 210 places, with 205 first-preference applications and 182 offers made to first-preference families. That works out at an oversubscription ratio of 4.83, reflecting strong local demand. The school is also within half a kilometre of Wheelers Lane Technology College, one of 14 Outstanding-rated secondaries in Birmingham.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressInstitute Road, Birmingham, Birmingham, B14 7EG
HeadteacherJames Coughlan
Local AuthorityBirmingham
Number of Pupils1,246
Free School Meals (FSM)37.5%
School Capacity1,246 / 1,304 (96% full)
Sixth FormYes

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
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

13 Oct 2021
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (13 Oct 2021): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 12 Oct 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Swimming PoolMusic RoomsAstro TurfSports HallArt StudiosScience LabsGymnasiumChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

12

Sports

HockeyTennisGymnasticsNetballBadmintonMartial Arts

Clubs & Activities

OrchestraArt ClubDuke of EdinburghBook ClubChoirModel United Nations

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning Difficulty

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Bishop Challoner Catholic College

Bishop Challoner Catholic College has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.