Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School
118%
Capacity
767
Pupils
9.7x
Demand
About Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School
Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School is a mixed secondary in Birmingham that is significantly oversubscribed, with 1,218 applications for 126 places in the 2025/26 admissions round. That works out at nearly ten applicants per place, and only 101 of those offers went to first-preference families, suggesting strong local demand. The school currently has 767 pupils on roll against a capacity of 650, so it is running above its official number. Just over 39% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average for secondary schools and reflects the school’s role in serving a diverse, inner-city community. The headteacher is James Till, and the school has no religious character. It also has its own sixth form, taking students from 16 to 19.
Academically, the school is performing above the Birmingham average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.21 means pupils achieve about a fifth of a grade more per subject than similar pupils nationally, and that puts it 32nd out of 83 schools in the local authority. The Attainment 8 score is 47, and 71.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 51% reaching grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the average A-level point score per entry is 30.2, which equates to a grade C, and the best three A-levels average out at a C as well. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2023 rated it Good across all categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. That was a consistent outcome compared with its previous Good rating in 2012.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, playing fields, art studios, music rooms, and science labs. There is also a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include football, rugby, cricket, hockey, dance, tennis, and martial arts, while clubs range from Young Enterprise and Model UN to gardening, choir, and chess. The school has a broad SEND offer, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, visual impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, diverse secondary with strong academic progress, a well-regarded sixth form, and a genuine commitment to inclusion.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Woodbrooke Road, Birmingham, Birmingham, B30 1UL |
| Headteacher | James Till |
| Local Authority | Birmingham |
| Number of Pupils | 767 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 39.3% |
| School Capacity | 767 / 650 (118% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Mar 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 17 May 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.21)
1070th of 3,141
Nationally
101st of 371
In West Midlands
32nd 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
27.3
'22/23
27.9
'23/24
30.2
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
2022/2325%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 116 pupils).
- FE college54%
- School sixth form (stay)25%
- Not sustained8%
- Sixth form college4%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment3%
92% 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
2022/2363%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 27 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
23%
Russell Group
23%
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)63%
- Employment22%
- Not sustained4%
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- Biology12
- Chemistry12
- Psychology9
- Physics8
- Mathematics6
- English Literature5
- History5
- Sociology4
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
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed126
1,218
Extremely High Demand
Very competitive - significantly more applications than places
167 families put this school as their 1st choice (14% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:10
Source: decschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British51.4%
- Mixed19.0%
- Asian10.0%
- White (other)2.7%
- Black0.5%
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.
15
Total schools
14
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School
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
Woodbrooke Road, Birmingham
Birmingham, B30 1UL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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