Corley Academy, Coventry

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Corley Academy on 7 areas: 3 strong standard and 4 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. "The importance of high attendance is a constant mantra."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders and staff know pupils very well."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Pupils benefit from a wide range of carefully planned opportunities that enrich their experiences and support their personal development and wellbeing."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils learn and retain the planned curriculum and are generally well prepared for their next stage of education, training or employment."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of education provided."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have a secure understanding of the school's context and ensure pupils are at the centre of all decisions."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the post‑16 cohort."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should strengthen how teachers develop pupils' foundational knowledge and skills, including in writing and at the earlier stages of learning to read, to enable pupils to improve the quality of their work across the curriculum".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Corley Academy is a secondary school for students with complex communication and interaction difficulties. Many of our students have a diagnosis of autism and their academic abilities span the full National Curriculum and GCSE/vocational range."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include STEM, cooking, gardening, Duke of Edinburgh and forest school.

The nearest other special schools to Corley Academy are Exhall Grange Specialist School (2.4 miles, Good); The Warwickshire Academy (2.4 miles); Kingsbury Academy (2.7 miles, Requires improvement); and Sherbourne Fields School (3 miles, Outstanding).

Corley Academy is one of 7 schools run by Thrive Education Partnership, an academy trust.

82 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Corley Academy (as of April 2026): 95% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (93%).

Of the 24 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 46% to a further education college.

41.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 8.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (75%), Black (8%) and Asian (7%).

Almost every pupil at Corley Academy has an education, health and care plan (168 of 168 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.

Corley Academy provides for pupils with other difficulties or disabilities.

The nearest railway station is Coventry Arena Rail Station, about 3 miles away in a straight line.

2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Glebe (opposite), 180 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 19 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Coventry (253).

In 2024/25, Corley Academy issued 5 suspensions, 3.1 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.