Heart of England School
89%
Capacity
1,216
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About Heart of England School
Parents considering Heart of England School in Solihull will find a school that is clearly popular locally. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 362 applications for 228 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.59. Of those applications, 161 were first-preference choices, which suggests a solid core of families actively wanting a place here. While the school does not publish a parent satisfaction survey score, the level of demand indicates a reasonable degree of confidence among local families. The school is a mixed, non-religious state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 18, led by headteacher Gethyn Bennett. It is not a boarding school, but it does have its own official sixth form. With 1,216 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,365, there is some room to grow, but the oversubscription figures show that securing a place is competitive.
Academically, Heart of England School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its recent inspections. In its most recent ungraded inspection in May 2024, inspectors noted the school remains Good with concerns, but leadership and management were judged Outstanding. At Key Stage 4, pupils achieved a Progress 8 score of -0.03, which is broadly in line with the national average and slightly above the Solihull local authority average of -0.12. The Attainment 8 score was 45.9, and 64.8% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The school ranks 8th out of 15 similar schools in Solihull on Progress 8, placing it in the middle of the pack locally. At sixth form, the average points per entry was 32.98, equivalent to a C+ grade, and the value-added score was exactly zero, meaning students progressed in line with expectations. The best three A-levels averaged a C+ grade.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, music rooms, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, rugby, cross country, tennis, and football, while clubs range from film club and coding to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Young Enterprise. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists provisions for a wide spectrum of needs, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Heart of England School is a solid, well-regarded option for families in Solihull who want a good-sized secondary with a strong sixth form and a competitive admissions process. It suits families who value a broad extracurricular offer and a school that is performing in line with national averages, rather than pushing for top-tier academic results.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Gipsy Lane, Coventry, Solihull, CV7 7FW |
| Headteacher | Gethyn Bennett |
| Local Authority | Solihull |
| Number of Pupils | 1,216 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 17.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,216 / 1,365 (89% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
23 May 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (23 May 2024): School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next
Source: Ofsted, 2 Dec 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.03)
1596th of 3,141
Nationally
157th of 371
In West Midlands
8th of 15
In Solihull
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
35.3
'22/23
33.9
'23/24
33.0
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
2022/2352%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 198 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)52%
- FE college25%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Employment6%
- Sixth form college5%
- Not sustained3%
96% 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
2022/2370%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 86 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
29%
Russell Group
29%
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)70%
- Employment12%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship6%
- 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- Psychology53
- Law27
- Business Studies:Single23
- Mathematics23
- Biology20
- Chemistry17
- English Literature16
- Economics10
- History9
- Physics9
- English Language8
- Spanish8
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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed228
362
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
161 families put this school as their 1st choice (44% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:25
Source: heart-england.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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British81.6%
- Mixed6.6%
- Asian5.7%
- White (other)3.3%
- Black0.2%
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.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
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 Heart of England 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
Gipsy Lane, Coventry
Solihull, CV7 7FW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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