South Bromsgrove High

About South Bromsgrove High

South Bromsgrove High is a large state secondary for 13- to 18-year-olds in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated the school Good overall. That represents a change from its previous inspection in 2012, when it was judged Outstanding. The inspection report shows that while the overall effectiveness has settled at Good, the school still holds Outstanding ratings for both its sixth-form provision and leadership and management, as well as for personal development. On the key academic measure of Progress 8, which tracks how much pupils improve between the end of primary school and GCSEs, the school scored -0.15 in the 2023/24 results. That is slightly above the local authority average for Worcestershire of -0.21, meaning pupils here make progress broadly in line with the national average and a touch better than the typical school in the area. Nationally, this Progress 8 score places South Bromsgrove in the bottom half of all schools, at the 60th percentile.

Looking more closely at the GCSE outcomes, the school’s Attainment 8 score — the average grade achieved across eight subjects — was 48.7, which equates roughly to a strong pass at grade 5 or a low B. A solid 77.2 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, the basics measure, though the figure drops to 53.4 per cent for the stronger grade 5 or above threshold. The school enters a high proportion of pupils for the English Baccalaureate, at 63.6 per cent, but only 20.1 per cent actually achieve it at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is more mixed: the average points per A-level entry was 32.43, equivalent to a C+ grade, and the value-added score of -0.24 is classed as below average, meaning students here make slightly less progress than similar students nationally. The best three A-levels averaged a C+ grade, and 13.4 per cent of entries were at AAB or higher.

The school is significantly oversubscribed, with 1,355 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,294. It serves a fairly typical intake for a state school, with 14.2 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals. Facilities are strong for a state school and include a swimming pool, a theatre, a sixth-form centre, tennis courts, science labs, music rooms, art studios, and a chapel. The sports programme covers hockey, rugby, football, gymnastics, and cross country, while clubs range from Model UN and Debate to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Young Enterprise. SEND provision is well-developed, with support for autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, and social and emotional mental health needs. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, well-resourced secondary with a strong sixth form and a broad extracurricular offer, particularly those who value the Outstanding-rated personal development and leadership that the inspection highlighted.

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