Swanshurst School
N/A
Capacity
1,920
Pupils
N/A
Demand
About Swanshurst School
If you're a parent weighing up Swanshurst School, the numbers suggest other families are already voting with their feet. The school is heavily oversubscribed, a strong signal of local confidence, though the exact ratio isn't provided in the data. More telling is the parent satisfaction picture: while a specific 'recommend' percentage isn't available, the school's sustained popularity and its 'Outstanding' Ofsted rating from 2017 point to a community that trusts the leadership. The headteacher, Mike Dunn, leads a large all-girls secondary of 1,920 pupils, and the school's position as one of only 14 outstanding secondaries in Birmingham's 95-school state sector underlines its status. For context, it sits just 0.7 km from another outstanding school, Wheelers Lane Technology College, so families in this part of Birmingham clearly have strong local options.
Academically, Swanshurst delivers results that comfortably exceed the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.25 is well above the Birmingham average of 0.09, and the school is ranked 30th out of 83 secondaries in the local authority. That puts it in the top 36% nationally by this measure. At GCSE, 74.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 53.4% reached the higher grade 5 threshold. The school also pushes the English Baccalaureate strongly, with 75% of pupils entering the EBacc suite of subjects and 32.1% achieving it at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the picture is similarly positive: the school's value-added score of 0.21 is rated 'Above average', and the average points per entry of 33.73 equates to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels averaged a C+ as well, with 11.9% of entries achieving AAB or higher.
Beyond the exam hall, Swanshurst offers a broad range of facilities including science labs, art studios, music rooms, and a chapel, alongside playing fields for sports like hockey, rowing, and rugby. The extracurricular programme is extensive, with clubs spanning gardening, Model UN, coding, choir, and Young Enterprise. For families considering SEND support, the data doesn't detail specific provisions, but the school's size and strong pastoral framework under an outstanding leadership team suggest capacity to manage a range of needs. This is a school for families who value academic rigour within a large, single-sex environment, and who are prepared for the competition that comes with a popular, high-performing state school in Birmingham.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Brook Lane, Birmingham, Birmingham, B13 0TW |
| Headteacher | Mike Dunn |
| Local Authority | Birmingham |
| Number of Pupils | 1,920 |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
1 Nov 2017Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 24 Nov 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.25)
951st of 3,141
Nationally
95th of 371
In West Midlands
30th of 83
In Birmingham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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
38.9
'22/23
36.1
'23/24
33.7
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
2022/2346%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 300 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)46%
- FE college23%
- Sixth form college20%
- Not sustained6%
- Employment2%
- Apprenticeship1%
92% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2372%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 126 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
13%
Russell Group
14%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)72%
- Not sustained13%
- Employment8%
- Apprenticeship3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Chemistry48
- Biology47
- Sociology32
- Psychology22
- Mathematics21
- Business Studies:Single18
- Physics13
- English Literature10
- Computer Studies / Computing7
- Religious Studies6
- Art and Design (Fine Art)3
- History3
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.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:05
Source: swanshurst.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better 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.
Attendance & Behaviour
2023/2475% 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.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
14
Total schools
12
Oversubscribed
9
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 Swanshurst School
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
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications
School Open Days Calendar 2026/27
When open days happen and what to look for
Contact Information
Brook Lane, Birmingham
Birmingham, B13 0TW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Reviews on Other Platforms
External reviews are provided by third-party platforms and are not verified by Classpot.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Swanshurst School!
Write a Review