The Pedmore High School

About The Pedmore High School

The Pedmore High School is a mixed 11-16 state secondary in Dudley, and its intake data tells a clear story about the local demand it serves. With 658 pupils on roll against a capacity of 787, the school is operating below its physical limit, yet it is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 208 applications for 125 places, with 83 of those coming as first preferences. That oversubscription ratio of 1.66 suggests a solid local reputation, even if the school isn't full to the brim. More striking is the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals: 41.3%. That is significantly above the national average for secondary schools, which typically sits around 25-30%, and it places Pedmore in a context where a high proportion of families face economic disadvantage. For parents researching options, this demographic profile is a key part of the school's character — it's a genuinely comprehensive intake, serving a community with considerable need, and the school's results need to be read with that in mind.

Academically, Pedmore's outcomes are mixed and sit below local averages. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year is -0.36, which is below the Dudley local authority average of -0.08 and places the school 13th out of 17 schools in the borough. Nationally, it ranks in the bottom quarter, at the 76th percentile. The Attainment 8 score is 41, and just 37.3% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 95 measure), compared with 54.8% at the grade 4 threshold. The EBacc entry rate is very low at 2.4%, and the EBacc average point score is 3.24. Ofsted rated the school Good overall in its most recent graded inspection in 2016, and a subsequent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed it remains Good. That's a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2013. The school's Progress 8 banding is classified as 'Below average', and the data shows weaker progress in EBacc subjects (-0.64) and maths (-0.34) than in English (-0.23).

On the practical side, Pedmore offers a decent range of facilities including a library, ICT suite, playing fields, astro turf, and a swimming pool — the latter is a relative rarity and supports a strong sports programme that includes swimming, hockey, netball, basketball, and gymnastics. There is no sixth form, so pupils will need to move on at 16. The school's SEND provisions are comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This suggests a school equipped to support a wide range of additional needs. For families considering Pedmore, the key takeaway is that it's a Good-rated school serving a high-needs community, with below-average but improving academic outcomes, and a strong practical offer in sport and SEND support. It will suit parents who value a genuinely inclusive, local comprehensive over a high-flying academic environment.

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