The Crestwood School
98%
Capacity
1,028
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About The Crestwood School
The Crestwood School is a mixed state secondary in Dudley, West Midlands, serving 1,028 pupils aged 11 to 16. Within the local authority, it ranks 11th out of 17 schools of the same type by Progress 8 score, placing it in the bottom half of Dudley’s secondary landscape. The top-performing peers locally are Old Swinford Hospital, Pegasus Academy, and Redhill School, the nearest Outstanding-rated school at 4.1 km away. Crestwood itself holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across both its 2018 graded inspection and its most recent ungraded inspection in 2023, which confirmed the school remains Good. Leadership and management were also judged Good in the 2018 inspection. With a capacity of 1,050, the school is nearly full, and its 35.6 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals is notably above the national average, reflecting the community it serves.
Academically, Crestwood’s Progress 8 score of -0.13 is below the Dudley local authority average of -0.08, placing it in the bottom 50 per cent nationally. The school’s Attainment 8 score stands at 40.9, and 57.6 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths (the basics 9-4 measure), though this drops to 36.9 per cent for the stronger 9-5 threshold. Only 14.3 per cent of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, and the EBacc average point score is 3.33. The Progress 8 breakdown shows English and EBacc subjects as relative weak points, both at -0.29, while open subjects (0.06) and maths (-0.04) are closer to the national average. The school does not have a sixth form, so all pupils leave after Year 11.
Crestwood offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, tennis courts, and science labs, alongside clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. Its SEND provision is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, with a dedicated SEN unit. The school was oversubscribed for 2025/26, receiving 405 applications for 200 places, with 181 first-preference applications and 171 first-preference offers. This suggests strong local demand, particularly from families who value the inclusive SEND support and the variety of extracurricular activities. Crestwood suits families seeking a well-equipped, community-focused secondary with good pastoral and specialist provision, though those prioritising top-tier academic outcomes may look to higher-ranked peers in Dudley.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Bromley Lane, Dudley, Dudley, DY6 8QG |
| Headteacher | Philip Sutton |
| Local Authority | Dudley |
| Number of Pupils | 1,028 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 35.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,028 / 1,050 (98% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Mar 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (22 Mar 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 19 Mar 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.13)
1839th of 3,141
Nationally
187th of 371
In West Midlands
11th of 17
In Dudley
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2323%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 165 pupils).
- FE college47%
- School sixth form (stay)23%
- Not sustained11%
- Sixth form college8%
- Employment7%
- Apprenticeship2%
88% 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.
SEND Support
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed200
405
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
181 families put this school as their 1st choice (45% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Source: crestwoodschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half 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.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British77.3%
- Asian8.9%
- Mixed7.9%
- White (other)2.8%
- Black0.1%
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.
12
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Crestwood 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
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
Bromley Lane, Dudley
Dudley, DY6 8QG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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