Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School, Birmingham

Ofsted's report card from its 14 April 2026 inspection grades Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School on 6 areas: 5 strong standard and 1 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders and staff consistently promote the importance of high attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have a very detailed and accurate view of the education they provide."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusive practice is fully embedded throughout the school."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leadership at all levels is inspirational."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school's work to promote pupils' personal development is remarkable and highly effective."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils do well at this school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to focus on high-quality teaching strategies to further deepen and stretch the learning of pupils, especially those with high prior attainment, so that all make rapid and sustained progress through the curriculum".

In its own words: "Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School was founded by, and is part of, the Catholic Church. Our ethos is made explicit to our pupils, staff, parents and community through our commitment to the Wiseman Virtues."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, swimming, drama, chess and STEM.

The school runs a breakfast club from 8:05am.

In 2026, pupils at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.5 in Birmingham and 47 across England.

44% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Birmingham and 47% in England.

That is up from 47 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.27: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 45, against 50.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 5.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 18 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 158 families put Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School as their first choice and 584 named it as one of their preferences, for 160 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 17 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School are Fortis Academy (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.4); Arena Academy (1 mile, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 42.7); E-ACT North Birmingham Academy (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.2); and Barr Beacon School (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.4).

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Of the 140 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 90% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 57% to a further education college and 2% to an apprenticeship.

46.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 25.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (46%), Black (25%) and Mixed (13%).

In 2026, 133 pupils (16.9%) received SEN support and 10 (1.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Hamstead Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cardinal Wiseman School (opposite), 140 metres away.

In 2024/25, Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School issued 110 suspensions, 14.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School are Maryvale Catholic Primary School (0.1 miles), Kingsthorne Primary School (0.4 miles), Kings Rise Academy (0.6 miles) and Kingsland Primary School (NC) (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.