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SecondaryState · Free schools

The University of Birmingham School

Weoley Park Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, B29 6QU ·

Ofsted:Good· 2023
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At a glance

A state secondary free school for ages 11–19 in Birmingham. Confirmed as Good at an ungraded Ofsted inspection (May 2023). GCSE results are around the England average (Attainment 8: 45.5 vs 46.1, 2024/25). Oversubscribed: 285 families put it first for 147 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages
11–19
Pupils
1,188
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Local authority
Birmingham
Academy trust
THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL
Headteacher
Mr Colin Townsend
Opened
Sept 2015

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

Read reports
Latest ungraded inspection (17 May 2023): School remains Good

The school's last graded inspection took place before 2019.

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 151 pupils

Attainment 8
45.5
England 46.1
Grade 5+ Eng & maths
41.1%
England 45.4%
Grade 4+ Eng & maths
59.6%
England 64.8%
Progress 8
-0.09
2023/24 · CI -0.31 to 0.13
This school
45.5
Birmingham
46.6
England
46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

Search for your address on the map to see straight-line distances to schools.

Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made
147
1st preferences
285
All applications
1,588
1st prefs per place
1.94
More first choices than places

118 of 285 first-preference applicants were offered a place (41%).

Oversubscribed with first preferences

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils
1,177
Capacity
1,150
103% full
Girls / boys
44/56
Mixed
  • Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)41.3%
  • English as an additional language36%
  • SEN support11.7%
  • Education, Health and Care plan4.1%
  • The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.
The University of Birmingham School, Birmingham · SchoolPatch