West Walsall E-ACT Academy
108%
Capacity
1,186
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About West Walsall E-ACT Academy
West Walsall E-ACT Academy is a popular choice among local families, with 178 first-preference offers made for 216 total places in the 2025/26 admissions round. The school received 374 applications overall, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.73, meaning nearly two families applied for every available spot. This level of demand suggests a solid reputation in the community, though it's worth noting that the school is not among the two Outstanding-rated secondaries in Walsall. The nearest Outstanding school, Queen Mary's High School, sits about 2.4 kilometres away. ParentView data isn't available in this profile, so we can't report a recommend percentage, but the oversubscription figures alone indicate that many families see this as a strong local option.
Academically, West Walsall E-ACT Academy delivers results that sit slightly above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.1 is classed as 'Average' nationally and compares favourably with the Walsall local authority average of -0.21, placing the school 6th out of 18 secondaries in the borough. At KS4, the Attainment 8 score is 38.7, and 50.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate stands at 38.8%, with 19.4% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is more mixed: the value-added score is -0.78, described as 'Well below average', and the average points per entry grade is a D. The best three A-levels average out at a D+ grade, based on 52 pupils in the 2023/24 cohort.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, art studios, science labs, a sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include gymnastics, swimming, martial arts, and cricket, while clubs range from Young Enterprise and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award to choir, drama, and an eco club. SEND provision is 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 disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 54.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged intake. It's a good fit for families in Walsall seeking a large, inclusive secondary with a sixth form, strong Progress 8 relative to the local area, and a broad extracurricular offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Primley Avenue, Walsall, Walsall, WS2 9UA |
| Headteacher | Laura Wilson |
| Local Authority | Walsall |
| Number of Pupils | 1,186 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 54.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,186 / 1,100 (108% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Jan 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (18 Jan 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 23 Nov 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.10)
1311th of 3,141
Nationally
129th of 371
In West Midlands
6th of 18
In Walsall
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
26.0
'22/23
20.9
'23/24
20.2
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
2022/2343%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 158 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)43%
- FE college34%
- Not sustained13%
- Employment3%
- Sixth form college1%
- Apprenticeship1%
82% 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
2022/2356%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 68 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
4%
Russell Group
4%
Top-third HE
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)56%
- Not sustained22%
- Employment12%
- Further education1%
- Apprenticeship1%
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- Sociology20
- Biology19
- Psychology16
- Chemistry15
- Mathematics13
- Law9
- Italian6
- Physics6
- Computer Studies / Computing5
- English Literature5
- Religious Studies5
- English Language4
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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed216
374
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
183 families put this school as their 1st choice (49% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian55.4%
- White British12.9%
- Mixed8.8%
- White (other)3.7%
- Black2.4%
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.
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.
11
Total schools
8
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About West Walsall E-ACT Academy
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
Primley Avenue, Walsall
Walsall, WS2 9UA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at West Walsall E-ACT Academy!
Write a Review