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King Edward VI Handsworth School

Birmingham, B21 9ARSecondaryAges 11–18GirlsState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
5 Good
Dec 2024
Progress 8
+0.80
Well above average
−20+2
Competition
0.8×
Not oversubscribed
163 1st-choice / 192 places
Ranking
🏆Top 10%
#191 of 3,141 nationally

About King Edward VI Handsworth School

King Edward VI Handsworth School is a girls' state secondary in Birmingham that currently holds a Good Ofsted rating, but the detail tells a more interesting story. In its most recent inspection in December 2024, inspectors judged the school's overall effectiveness as 'Not judged' because it was a section 8 inspection, but they awarded Outstanding grades for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. The only area rated Good was quality of education. That's a significant shift from its previous inspection in 2014, when the school was rated Outstanding across the board. The most telling academic metric is Progress 8, which measures how much pupils improve between Key Stage 2 and GCSEs compared with the national average. Handsworth's Progress 8 score is 0.8, which is classified as 'Well above average' and places the school 9th out of 83 secondary schools in Birmingham, putting it in the top 11% locally and the top 6% nationally.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderGirls
Religious CharacterNone
AddressRose Hill Road, Birmingham, Birmingham, B21 9AR
HeadteacherDavid Goodwin
Local AuthorityBirmingham
Number of Pupils1,324
Free School Meals (FSM)24.4%
School Capacity1,324 / 1,060 (125% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

What 125 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, 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

17 Dec 2024
View Report
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 28 Jan 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Science LabsSports HallTennis CourtsTheatrePlaying FieldsGymnasiumSwimming PoolSixth Form CentreArt Studios

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

20

Sports

HockeyRugbyDanceBasketballMartial ArtsRowingRoundersBadmintonSwimming

Clubs & Activities

CodingBook ClubModel United NationsFilm ClubScience ClubChessDebateYoung EnterpriseOrchestraChoirDuke of Edinburgh

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning Difficulty

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About King Edward VI Handsworth School

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