Wood Green Academy
114%
Capacity
1,522
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Wood Green Academy
Wood Green Academy is a large, mixed secondary school in Sandwell that is clearly in high demand. With 1,522 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,335, the school is significantly over capacity, and this is reflected in its admissions data. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 369 applications for 222 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.66, meaning nearly two families applied for every available spot. Of those, 214 were first-preference applications, and all 214 received offers. The school's intake includes a proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 14.7%, which is slightly above the national average for secondary schools, though not exceptionally high for the Sandwell area. This combination of high demand and a diverse intake suggests a school that is well-regarded locally and draws from a broad catchment.
Academically, Wood Green Academy presents a mixed picture. Its Progress 8 score of -0.38 is below the Sandwell local authority average of -0.14, placing it 15th out of 19 schools in the borough and in the bottom 50% nationally. The Attainment 8 score of 42.3 is modest, and only 42.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The school's EBacc entry rate is low at 18.1%, and the EBacc average point score of 3.69 is below the national average. However, the sixth form performs better, with a value-added score of -0.07, classed as 'Average', and an average points per entry of 31.86, equivalent to a C+ grade. The most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated the school as 'Good' overall, with leadership and management and sixth-form provision both judged 'Good', a significant improvement from its previous 'Inadequate' rating in 2013.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, and playing fields, supporting sports such as hockey, rowing, netball, and rugby. There is also a dedicated sixth form centre. The school has a strong SEND provision, with support for a broad spectrum of needs including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and physical disabilities, as well as a resourced provision. Parent views are largely positive, with 86% of respondents saying they would recommend the school. However, there are areas of concern: only 60% of parents agreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and just 60% agreed that SEND children receive the support they need, with 24% strongly disagreeing on that point. This school will suit families who value a large, popular community school with strong sports and extracurricular offerings, but who are aware that academic outcomes are below the local average and that SEND support has room for improvement.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Wood Green Road, Wednesbury, Sandwell, WS10 9QU |
| Headteacher | James Topham |
| Local Authority | Sandwell |
| Number of Pupils | 1,522 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 14.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,522 / 1,335 (114% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
9 Oct 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (9 Oct 2024): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 14 Jul 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.38)
2418th of 3,141
Nationally
269th of 371
In West Midlands
15th of 19
In Sandwell
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
35.2
'22/23
33.0
'23/24
31.9
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
2022/2348%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 180 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)48%
- FE college39%
- Employment6%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained2%
98% 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
2022/2359%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 96 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
41%
Russell Group
49%
Top-third HE
5%
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)59%
- Employment30%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Other education1%
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- Psychology42
- History24
- Biology23
- Mathematics22
- Physics19
- Sociology19
- Religious Studies14
- Chemistry13
- English Literature13
- Business Studies:Single12
- Economics8
- Physical Education / Sports Studies7
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.
Ofsted Parent View
117 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed222
369
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
214 families put this school as their 1st choice (58% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
Source: woodgreenacademy.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better 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.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.1%
- Mixed4.8%
- White (other)4.3%
- Asian3.2%
- 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.
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.
13
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
10
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 Wood Green 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
Wood Green Road, Wednesbury
Sandwell, WS10 9QU
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 Wood Green Academy!
Write a Review