Classpot

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School

Birmingham, B44 9SRSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Oct 2021
Progress 8
+0.27
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
168 1st-choice / 159 places
Ranking
#913
of 3,141 nationally

About Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School is a popular choice among Birmingham families, and the numbers back that up. For entry in 2025/26, the school received 612 applications for just 159 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.85. Of those, 168 families put it as their first preference, and 135 of those were offered a spot. That level of demand suggests a strong reputation among local parents, though the school does not publish a parent-view survey recommendation percentage to confirm that directly. The school is a state-funded Roman Catholic secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with Robert Swanwick as headteacher. It currently has 778 pupils on roll, which is above its official capacity of 645, and 41.5% of students are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. The school has a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has held since its last graded inspection in 2016, with an ungraded visit in 2021 confirming it remains Good.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressOld Oscott Hill, Birmingham, Birmingham, B44 9SR
HeadteacherRobert Swanwick
Local AuthorityBirmingham
Number of Pupils778
Free School Meals (FSM)41.5%
School Capacity778 / 645 (121% 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
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

7 Oct 2021
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Latest monitoring visit (7 Oct 2021): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 7 Nov 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Sixth Form CentrePlaying FieldsTheatreDining HallGymnasiumICT SuiteSwimming PoolChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

13

Sports

RugbySwimmingMartial ArtsRoundersBadmintonGymnasticsAthleticsNetball

Clubs & Activities

DramaYoung EnterpriseChoirChessGardening

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.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:55 – 15:30

Breakfast club

08:05-08:39

Source: cardinalwiseman.net. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School

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