Q3 Academy Tipton
101%
Capacity
1,558
Pupils
1.3x
Demand
About Q3 Academy Tipton
Q3 Academy Tipton is a large secondary school in Sandwell that is currently running at full capacity with 1,558 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,550. The school serves a community with significant economic disadvantage: 45.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average. Demand for places is strong — for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 365 applications for 279 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.31. Of those applications, 266 were first-preference choices, and 266 first-preference offers were made, meaning every family who put the school first received a place. The school is mixed, takes pupils from age 11 through to 19, and has a dedicated sixth form centre. Headteacher Adam Slack leads a school that has seen a notable improvement in its most recent Ofsted inspection, moving from a Requires Improvement rating in December 2022 to Good across all five graded categories in April 2025.
Academically, the picture is more mixed. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 score is -1.05, which is well below average and ranks it 19th out of 19 secondary schools in Sandwell. The local authority average Progress 8 is -0.14, so Q3 Academy Tipton sits significantly below that benchmark. Attainment 8 stands at 32.9, and only 36.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, with just 15.6% reaching grade 5 or better in both. Entry to the English Baccalaureate is low at 7.8%, and the proportion achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above is just 1%. At A-level, the picture is more encouraging: the school’s value added score is -0.04, which is banded as Average, and the average points per entry is 27.93, equivalent to a C- grade. The best three A-levels average out at a C grade, and 5.3% of entries achieved grades AAB or higher.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, and sixth form centre, plus clubs ranging from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to Model UN and coding. SEND provision covers eight categories including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. Parent View responses from 47 parents in the 2024/25 period show strong satisfaction: 81% would recommend the school, and large majorities agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy (81%), feels safe (78%), and that the school has high expectations (88%). However, 22% strongly disagreed that SEND children receive the support they need, and 19% disagreed that bullying is dealt with quickly and effectively. This is a school that suits families who value a full-capacity, oversubscribed community school with improving Ofsted grades and a strong sixth form, but who are realistic about below-average GCSE outcomes compared with the local authority.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Address | Alexandra Road, Tipton, Sandwell, DY4 7NR |
| Headteacher | Adam Slack |
| Local Authority | Sandwell |
| Number of Pupils | 1,558 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 45.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,558 / 1,550 (101% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
29 Apr 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 21 May 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-1.05)
3041st of 3,141
Nationally
357th of 371
In West Midlands
19th of 19
In Sandwell
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)
'22/23
23.8
'23/24
27.9
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
2022/2328%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 254 pupils).
- FE college50%
- School sixth form (stay)28%
- Employment8%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship3%
90% 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.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology13
- Government and Politics8
- Biology7
- Sociology7
- History6
- Chemistry5
- English Literature5
- Mathematics5
- Physics4
- Geography3
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.
Ofsted Parent View
47 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed279
365
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
266 families put this school as their 1st choice (73% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British48.7%
- Asian25.5%
- Mixed8.6%
- White (other)7.9%
- Black0.6%
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.
13
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
12
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 Q3 Academy Tipton
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
Alexandra Road, Tipton
Sandwell, DY4 7NR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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