Bishop Challoner Catholic College
96%
Capacity
1,246
Pupils
4.8x
Demand
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.
Academically, Bishop Challoner performs above the Birmingham average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.2 is more than double the LA average of 0.09, meaning pupils make stronger progress than peers in similar schools nationally. Attainment 8 sits at 53.1, and 62.2% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 95 measure), compared with 43.5% at grade 4 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 51.8%, and 30.1% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.08, classed as average, with pupils averaging a C+ grade across their best three A-levels and 33.31 points per entry. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2021, the school was rated Good overall, with Good for leadership and management, behaviour and attitudes, and sixth-form provision. This is a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2016, when it was rated Inadequate.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, gymnasium, music rooms, art studios, science labs, a chapel, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sports on offer include hockey, tennis, gymnastics, netball, badminton, and martial arts, while clubs range from orchestra and choir to Model UN, Book Club, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 37.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse and relatively disadvantaged intake. It is a good fit for Catholic families seeking a faith-based secondary with strong academic progress, a popular sixth form, and a wide extracurricular offer, but competition for places is fierce.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Institute Road, Birmingham, Birmingham, B14 7EG |
| Headteacher | James Coughlan |
| Local Authority | Birmingham |
| Number of Pupils | 1,246 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 37.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,246 / 1,304 (96% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Oct 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (13 Oct 2021): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 12 Oct 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.20)
1078th of 3,141
Nationally
103rd of 371
In West Midlands
33rd of 83
In Birmingham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
35.7
'22/23
33.2
'23/24
33.3
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2365%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 183 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)65%
- FE college26%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained3%
- Sixth form college2%
- Employment1%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2370%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 124 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
37%
Russell Group
37%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)70%
- Employment15%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Further education1%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- English Literature39
- Law32
- Mathematics29
- Biology27
- Psychology27
- Sociology22
- Art and Design (Fine Art)20
- Business Studies:Single20
- Geography16
- Economics15
- Chemistry14
- History13
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed210
1,015
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
205 families put this school as their 1st choice (20% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British45.7%
- Mixed16.0%
- Asian9.2%
- White (other)5.9%
- Black1.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
16
Total schools
13
Oversubscribed
9
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bishop Challoner Catholic College
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Institute Road, Birmingham
Birmingham, B14 7EG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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