St Paul's School for Girls
105%
Capacity
1,046
Pupils
4.3x
Demand
About St Paul's School for Girls
St Paul's School for Girls achieves a Progress 8 score of 1.23, which is dramatically above the Birmingham local authority average of 0.09 for secondary schools. This places the school second out of 83 schools in the borough and in the top 1% nationally. The gap is not marginal — pupils here make well over a grade more progress per subject than the typical student in Birmingham. The school's Attainment 8 score of 65.1 and EBacc average points score of 5.83 reinforce the picture of strong academic performance across the board. With 92% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 42.9% entering the EBacc, this is a school where high expectations are clearly the norm. The Progress 8 banding is rated 'Well above average', and the confidence interval (1.01 to 1.45) confirms the result is statistically significant — this is not a fluke.
The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 judged it Outstanding overall, with Outstanding leadership and management, and Good for sixth-form provision. This is an upgrade from its previous Good rating in 2017. At KS5, the picture is more mixed: the value-added score of -0.08 is rated Average, with a best three A-levels grade of B+. The points per entry of 43.73 also translates to a B+ average. So while the school excels at GCSE, its sixth form adds less value relative to students' starting points. That said, 28.3% of entries achieved AAB or higher, and the school ranks 4th in the West Midlands region for Progress 8. The school is Roman Catholic and girls-only, which may appeal to families seeking a faith-based, single-sex environment with a strong academic track record.
St Paul's is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26, there were 716 applications for 166 places, a ratio of 4.31 applicants per place, with 215 first-preference applications. The school serves a diverse intake — 29.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include a theatre, sports hall, tennis courts, music rooms, art studios, a sixth-form centre, and a chapel. The school offers a wide range of clubs including Orchestra, Debate, Coding, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. SEND provisions cover dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, SEMH, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that combines high academic outcomes with inclusive admissions and strong pastoral support, making it a compelling choice for ambitious families in Birmingham.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Vernon Road, Birmingham, Birmingham, B16 9SL |
| Headteacher | Dawn Casserly |
| Local Authority | Birmingham |
| Number of Pupils | 1,046 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 29.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,046 / 1,000 (105% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
3 Feb 2023Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Latest inspection (3 Feb 2023): School remains Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 21 Jun 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+1.23)
22nd of 3,141
Nationally
4th of 371
In West Midlands
2nd of 83
In Birmingham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more 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
45.9
'22/23
42.5
'23/24
43.7
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2377%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 79 pupils).
- University (HE)77%
- Employment13%
- Not sustained6%
- Further education1%
- Apprenticeship1%
Source: DfE 16-18 destination measures, Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion. Russell Group / top-third HE breakdown not shown.
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
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed166
716
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
215 families put this school as their 1st choice (30% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British23.7%
- Mixed12.5%
- White (other)10.5%
- Asian10.4%
- Black3.0%
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
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
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.
14
Total schools
12
Oversubscribed
10
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About St Paul's School for Girls
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
Vernon Road, Birmingham
Birmingham, B16 9SL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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