Nether Stowe School
83%
Capacity
786
Pupils
2.5x
Demand
About Nether Stowe School
Nether Stowe School is a mixed state secondary in Lichfield, Staffordshire, serving 786 pupils against a capacity of 944, meaning it has room to grow. The proportion of students eligible for free school meals stands at 34.2%, well above the national average and a clear indicator that the school serves a community with significant socioeconomic need. Despite that spare capacity, demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 252 applications for 99 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.55. Only 56 of those applicants listed it as their first preference, suggesting that while many families consider it, it is not the top choice for the majority. The school has a non-religious character and includes a sixth form, with a headteacher, Kirsty Jones, leading a site that offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, science labs, art studios, and a sixth form centre.
Academically, Nether Stowe’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated the school as Requires Improvement overall, though several individual areas were judged Good: sixth form provision, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. The quality of education itself remains Requires Improvement. At KS4, the school’s Progress 8 score of -0.7 is well below average and significantly worse than the Staffordshire local authority average of -0.18. Attainment 8 sits at 38.5, and only 29.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is low at 11.7%, and just 3.6% achieved the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is more encouraging: the value added score is -0.13, classed as Average, with students achieving an average grade of C per entry and a best three A-level grade of C+. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom 10% of schools by Progress 8.
The school offers a broad range of extracurricular activities including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model United Nations, and a Young Enterprise scheme, alongside sports like martial arts, rugby, and dance. Its SEND provisions are extensive, covering ten categories from dyslexia to autistic spectrum disorder and physical disability, making it a potentially strong choice for families whose children need additional support. The school is oversubscribed but not fiercely so, and with a first-preference offer rate of 56 out of 99 places, families who really want a place have a reasonable chance. Given its below-average Progress 8 and the need for improvement flagged by Ofsted, Nether Stowe is best suited to families who value the school’s inclusive ethos and wide-ranging clubs over top-tier academic outcomes, or those whose children may benefit from the strong SEND support on offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | St Chad's Road, Lichfield, Lichfield, WS13 7NB |
| Headteacher | Kirsty Jones |
| Local Authority | Staffordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 786 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 34.2% |
| School Capacity | 786 / 944 (83% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
19 Apr 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 4 Aug 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.70)
2843rd of 3,141
Nationally
336th of 371
In West Midlands
7th of 7
In Lichfield
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
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
35.7
'22/23
26.9
'23/24
28.4
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
2022/2342%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 119 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)42%
- FE college39%
- Employment7%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship3%
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
2022/2367%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 42 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)67%
- Employment17%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Further education2%
- Not sustained2%
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- Sociology12
- Mathematics10
- Geography9
- Psychology9
- English Literature8
- Media/Film/Tv Studies8
- Physics8
- Biology7
- Chemistry4
- Mathematics (Further)4
- Physical Education / Sports Studies4
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
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed99
252
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
56 families put this school as their 1st choice (22% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:10
Source: netherstowe.staffs.sch.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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British82.4%
- White (other)5.5%
- Mixed4.4%
- Asian1.2%
- Black0.4%
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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
11
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
9
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 Nether Stowe 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
St Chad's Road, Lichfield
Lichfield, WS13 7NB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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