Fairfax
99%
Capacity
1,571
Pupils
5.6x
Demand
About Fairfax
Fairfax is a large, mixed state secondary school in Birmingham that is currently running at near-full capacity, with 1,571 pupils against a capacity of 1,584. The school serves a community where 21.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure that sits above the national average and reflects the diverse intake of the local area. Demand for places is exceptionally high: for entry in 2025/26, the school received 1,461 applications for 260 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 5.62. Of those applications, 264 were first-preference choices, and 222 first-preference offers were made, meaning that even families who put Fairfax as their top choice faced significant competition. This level of demand suggests that the school is a popular option among Birmingham parents, despite not being among the highest-ranked schools in the local authority.
Academically, Fairfax's results present a mixed picture. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score is -0.13, which is below the Birmingham local authority average of 0.09 and places it 59th out of 83 schools in the area. The Attainment 8 score stands at 48.6, and 47.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 4.3, with 16% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above. At Key Stage 5, the picture is brighter: the school's value-added score of 0.25 is rated as 'Above average', and students achieved an average of 32.18 points per entry, equivalent to a C+ grade. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, the school was rated Good overall, with Outstanding marks for personal development and leadership and management. The previous inspection in 2011 also rated the school Good.
Fairfax offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, theatre, and a sixth form centre, alongside specialist spaces for music, art, and ICT. The school provides support for a broad spectrum of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, hearing and visual impairments, and specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, and it has a resourced provision on site. With an official sixth form and a strong post-16 value-added score, it is a solid choice for families who want a large, well-resourced school with good leadership and a strong personal development focus. However, given the high oversubscription and below-average Progress 8 at GCSE, parents should be prepared for a competitive admissions process and may want to consider whether the school's sixth form strengths align with their child's longer-term academic goals.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Fairfax Road, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, B75 7JT |
| Headteacher | Sean Castle |
| Local Authority | Birmingham |
| Number of Pupils | 1,571 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 21.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,571 / 1,584 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 May 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 16 Jun 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.13)
1846th of 3,141
Nationally
189th of 371
In West Midlands
59th of 83
In Birmingham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
32.7
'22/23
31.1
'23/24
32.2
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
2022/2354%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 238 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)54%
- FE college31%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained5%
- Employment1%
93% 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
2022/2355%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 146 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
12%
Russell Group
12%
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)55%
- Employment29%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained6%
- Further 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- Psychology57
- Sociology47
- Business Studies:Single41
- Mathematics28
- Biology26
- Law22
- History19
- Accounting / Finance15
- Economics15
- Chemistry13
- Geography11
- English Literature9
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
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed260
1,461
Extremely High Demand
Very competitive - significantly more applications than places
264 families put this school as their 1st choice (18% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British67.0%
- Asian11.3%
- Mixed8.9%
- White (other)2.7%
- Black0.8%
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.
8
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
5
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 Fairfax
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
Fairfax Road, Sutton Coldfield
Birmingham, B75 7JT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
