Cheslyn Hay Academy
97%
Capacity
1,264
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Cheslyn Hay Academy
Cheslyn Hay Academy is a mixed secondary school in South Staffordshire that is currently running very close to its full capacity of 1,302 pupils, with 1,264 on roll. The school serves a community where 18.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and signals a higher-than-typical level of disadvantage among its intake. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 400 applications for 217 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.84. Of those applicants, 209 put Cheslyn Hay as their first preference, and 202 of those received an offer. This level of competition suggests the school is a popular choice locally, despite not being among the highest-performing schools in the area on academic measures.
Academically, Cheslyn Hay Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good across all five categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This represents a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2018, when it was rated Requires Improvement overall. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score is -0.22, which is slightly below the Staffordshire local authority average of -0.18. Its Attainment 8 score stands at 46.1, and 67.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 24.4%, with 17.2% achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the school's value-added score is -0.34, placing it in the below-average band, with an average points per entry of 30.28, equivalent to a grade C.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a theatre, library, gymnasium, science labs, tennis courts, sports hall, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include netball, rugby, rowing, cricket, and martial arts, while extracurricular clubs cover art, drama, choir, coding, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, and Young Enterprise. The school has a comprehensive SEND provision, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its oversubscribed status and improving Ofsted rating, Cheslyn Hay Academy is likely to suit families who want a large, inclusive secondary with a strong sixth form and a wide choice of activities, but who are realistic about its below-average Progress 8 outcomes compared with the strongest performers in Staffordshire.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Saredon Road, Walsall, South Staffordshire, WS6 7JQ |
| Headteacher | J Pritchard |
| Local Authority | Staffordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,264 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.1% |
| School Capacity | 1,264 / 1,302 (97% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Oct 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 1 Dec 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.22)
2055th of 3,141
Nationally
216th of 371
In West Midlands
7th of 7
In South Staffordshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
34.1
'22/23
32.8
'23/24
30.3
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
2022/2345%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 220 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)45%
- FE college36%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Employment5%
- Not sustained4%
95% 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
2022/2364%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 69 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
12%
Russell Group
15%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)64%
- Employment22%
- Not sustained6%
- Further education4%
- Apprenticeship1%
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- Psychology28
- History19
- Sociology17
- English Literature15
- Biology12
- Government and Politics10
- Mathematics9
- Economics8
- Geography8
- Chemistry7
- Art and Design (Graphics)5
- Physics5
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
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed217
400
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
209 families put this school as their 1st choice (52% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:00
Source: cheslynhayacademy.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British89.0%
- Mixed5.3%
- Asian2.4%
- White (other)0.6%
- Black0.6%
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.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cheslyn Hay Academy
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
Saredon Road, Walsall
South Staffordshire, WS6 7JQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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