Classpot

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy

Birmingham, B45 0EUSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Jan 2024
Progress 8
-0.48
Below average
−20+2
Competition
1.4×
Oversubscribed
120 1st-choice / 87 places
Ranking
#2,577
of 3,141 nationally

About King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is a mixed state secondary school in Birmingham, serving pupils from age 11 to 16. In the local authority’s rankings for Progress 8, it sits at 73rd out of 83 schools, placing it in the bottom half of Birmingham’s secondaries. For context, the top-performing schools in the same LA include Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham, St Paul’s School for Girls, and Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham, each with Progress 8 scores well above the national average. Balaam Wood’s own Progress 8 score of -0.48 is significantly below the LA average of 0.09, and the school is classified as ‘Below average’ on this measure. The school is led by headteacher Damian McGarvey and has a capacity of 546 pupils, with 414 currently on roll. A high proportion of its students — 66.7 per cent — are eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average and reflects the school’s role in a relatively disadvantaged catchment.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressNew Street, Birmingham, Birmingham, B45 0EU
HeadteacherDamian McGarvey
Local AuthorityBirmingham
Number of Pupils414
Free School Meals (FSM)66.7%
School Capacity414 / 546 (76% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

31 Jan 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 14 Mar 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
Swimming PoolTennis CourtsGymnasiumSixth Form CentreICT SuitePlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

HockeyRoundersSwimmingFootballBadmintonGymnasticsNetballBasketballRowingCricket

Clubs & Activities

OrchestraYoung EnterpriseEco ClubArt ClubChoirNewspaper

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.