Shireland CBSO Academy

About Shireland CBSO Academy

Shireland CBSO Academy, a mixed state secondary in Sandwell, was rated Good by Ofsted in its most recent inspection, a rating that places it among a minority of schools in the local authority — only one of the 23 secondary schools in Sandwell holds an Outstanding grade. The school’s most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score, which measures how much pupils improve between the end of primary school and their GCSEs. At Shireland CBSO Academy, that score sits above the local authority average of -0.14, meaning students here typically make stronger progress than their peers across Sandwell. Given that nearly 40% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, this is a notable outcome. The school is still relatively small, with 306 pupils against a capacity of 870, and it opened with a clear focus on music and the arts, reflected in its partnership with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

Academically, the school’s Ofsted report highlights strong teaching and leadership, with inspectors noting that pupils achieve well across a broad curriculum. The Progress 8 figure, while not provided as a specific number in the data, is described as being above the Sandwell average, which itself sits at -0.14. This suggests the school is adding real value for its students. At Key Stage 5, the school operates a sixth form centre, though specific A-Level results are not available in the data. The school’s facilities, which include science labs, music rooms, art studios, and a swimming pool, support a curriculum that balances academic rigour with creative and practical subjects. The range of clubs — from chess and coding to Model UN and eco club — indicates an effort to broaden students’ experiences beyond the classroom.

For families considering Shireland CBSO Academy, the practical picture is one of high demand. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 245 applications for 116 places, with 82 first-preference applications and only 81 offers made to first-preference pupils. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 2.11, meaning more than two children applied for every place. The school’s SEND provisions are comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and physical disabilities, among others. Facilities are strong for a school of this size, including an astro turf, sports hall, and sixth form centre. This is a school that will particularly suit families who value music and the arts alongside strong academic progress, and who are looking for a relatively small, oversubscribed secondary with a clear identity in Sandwell.

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