The Earls High School

About The Earls High School

The Earls High School in Dudley holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across both its most recent inspections. In its latest ungraded inspection in March 2025, inspectors confirmed that standards are being maintained, with Good marks across all four key areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This is a slight shift from the school's previous graded inspection in 2020, which also rated it Good overall, though it had been judged Outstanding in 2011. On the most telling academic metric, Progress 8, the school scored -0.02 in the 2023/24 results, which is classed as Average. That places it ninth out of 17 secondary schools in Dudley, and in the middle nationally, around the 50th percentile. It's worth noting that the local authority average Progress 8 score is -0.08, so Earls is performing slightly above the typical Dudley school, even if it isn't among the top performers in the area.

Digging into the detail of those 2023/24 results, the school's Attainment 8 score sits at 48.4, and 68.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, with 49.4% reaching the higher grade 5 benchmark. The English Baccalaureate entry rate is 35.7%, with 26.8% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. Breaking down Progress 8 by subject area, pupils performed best in English, with a positive score of 0.21, meaning they made slightly more progress than the national average. Maths and the EBacc subjects both came in at -0.2, while the Open element (other GCSEs) was positive at 0.15. The school doesn't have a sixth form, so all pupils leave after Year 11. Parent feedback is broadly positive: 86% of the 98 respondents to the Parent View survey would recommend the school, and 87% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there.

The school is significantly oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 756 applications for 265 places, a ratio of 2.85 applicants per place, with 287 first-preference applications for 244 first-preference offers. Facilities are strong for a state secondary, including a swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, tennis courts, and playing fields, plus dedicated art studios, music rooms, and science labs. The clubs list is varied, with offerings like the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, orchestra, choir, drama, and debate. For SEND, the school supports a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. However, the Parent View data on SEND support is mixed: while 52% agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, 44% disagreed or strongly disagreed, suggesting this is an area some families find challenging. This school will suit families who want a large, popular 11-16 comprehensive with solid but not exceptional results, good facilities, and a broad extracurricular programme, particularly if they live within the catchment area given the high demand for places.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About The Earls High School

Helpful Guides for Parents