Plantsbrook School

About Plantsbrook School

Plantsbrook School is a mixed secondary and sixth form in Birmingham that is noticeably oversubscribed, with 1,735 applications for 237 places in the 2025/26 admissions round — a ratio of more than seven applicants per place. Of those, 259 families put it as their first preference, and 196 received offers. The school currently holds 1,570 pupils against a capacity of 1,498, so it is running slightly above its official number. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 15.6%, which is higher than the national average for secondary schools (around 14%) and reflects the school’s role in serving a diverse local community. The headteacher is Kerensa Neal, and the school has no religious character. It is a state-funded, non-selective school, and its popularity suggests it has built a strong reputation among Birmingham families looking for a large, inclusive secondary.

Academically, Plantsbrook sits in the middle of the pack. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 cohort was -0.01, which is bang on the national average and slightly below the Birmingham local authority average of 0.09. That places it 50th out of 83 schools in the LA on this measure, and 1,550th nationally out of 3,141. The school’s Attainment 8 score was 50.8, and 60.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. A strong 78.2% of pupils entered the EBacc, though only 31% achieved it at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the school’s value-added score was 0.07, rated as average, with an average points per entry of 33.73 (grade C+). The sixth form was judged Outstanding in its most recent Ofsted inspection, and the school overall was rated Good in its graded inspection of 2019, with an ungraded visit in February 2025 confirming that standards were maintained.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including science labs, an ICT suite, a theatre, tennis courts, art studios and a sixth form centre. Sports include hockey, athletics, swimming and cricket, and there are clubs covering everything from eco and gardening to debate, choir and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. SEND provision is broad, covering autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, and physical disability, with a resourced provision on site. Parent View responses from 190 families in the 2024/25 period were generally positive: 79% would recommend the school, and strong majorities agreed that their child is happy (83% agree or strongly agree) and that there is a good range of subjects (92%). This is a large, popular school that suits families who want a comprehensive secondary with a strong sixth form, a wide choice of activities, and a proven ability to support pupils with additional needs.

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