Great Wyrley Academy

About Great Wyrley Academy

Great Wyrley Academy is a mixed secondary school in South Staffordshire that currently serves 573 pupils against a capacity of 1,119, meaning it is operating at just over half its potential size. This is notable given the school’s intake profile: 31.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is significantly above the national average and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage. Despite the spare capacity, the school is clearly in demand. For the 2025/26 academic year, it received 349 applications for 144 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.42, with 127 first-preference applications resulting in 123 offers. That level of competition indicates strong local reputation, even though the school is not yet full. The headteacher is Kelly Moore, and the school has no religious character. It also has a sixth form, though with only 11 pupils recorded at KS5, it is a relatively small provision.

Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023 rated it Good across all five categories: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision. This is a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2016, when it was rated Inadequate. At KS4, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.08, which is above the Staffordshire local authority average of -0.18 and places it in the ‘Average’ band nationally. Attainment 8 sits at 41, and 58.3% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is low at 16.7%, and the EBacc average point score is 3.4. At KS5, the picture is weaker: the value-added score is -0.89, described as ‘well below average’, with an average points per entry of 20, equivalent to a D grade. The school ranks 5th out of 7 schools in South Staffordshire by Progress 8, and 20th out of 75 similar schools across the wider Staffordshire LA.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, astro turf, swimming pool, theatre, science labs, art studios, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include hockey, football, martial arts, gymnastics, athletics, and cross country, while clubs range from art and film to choir, orchestra, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The school has a well-documented SEND offer, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its strong demand relative to capacity, families should be aware that oversubscription is likely, with 2.42 applicants per place. This school will suit families looking for a Good-rated secondary with a strong focus on inclusion and a wide extracurricular offer, particularly those in the South Staffordshire area who value a school that has improved significantly from a low base.

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