Daylesford Academy, Solihull
Daylesford Academy is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Solihull, part of Solihull Alternative Provision Multi Academy Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Daylesford Academy in detail
Getting a place at Daylesford Academy
Across Solihull, 80% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 97% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Solihull lodged 149 appeals against secondary school offers; 105 reached a hearing and 4 succeeded (3.8% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Daylesford Academy are Lyndon School (under 0.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.2); Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.9); Cockshut Hill School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.1); and King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.8).
Lyndon SchoolArchbishop Ilsley Catholic SchoolCockshut Hill SchoolKing Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy
The trust
Daylesford Academy is one of 3 schools run by Solihull Alternative Provision Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
All 3 schools in Solihull Alternative Provision Multi Academy Trust
Who goes there
69.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (87%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 10 pupils (43.5%) received SEN support and 7 (30.4%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Olton Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Daylesford Infant School (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 376 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Solihull (226), as is usual near a town centre.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Daylesford Academy are Olton Primary School (0.2 miles), St Andrew's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles), St Margaret's Church of England Primary School (0.4 miles) and Valley Primary (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Olton Primary SchoolSt Andrew's Catholic Primary SchoolSt Margaret's Church of England Primary SchoolValley Primary
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Daylesford Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2022. Before that, as Summerfield Education Centre (URN 133531), it was rated Requires Improvement in May 2021.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Daylesford Academy excels at helping pupils with complex needs feel like they belong and re-engage with learning for the first time. Staff create a caring environment where pupils develop self-confidence and learn important life skills around respect, tolerance, and making positive choices. The school is ambitious for all pupils and measures success in meaningful ways, whether through qualifications or simply helping them value their education again.
Key Strengths
- Staff understand pupils' needs exceptionally well and help them re-engage with education and develop self-confidence
- Ambitious curriculum matched to pupils' needs and qualifications, enabling successful progression to post-16 provision
- Strong focus on personal and social development, teaching tolerance, respect, and awareness of risks in wider society
- Wide range of exciting enrichment activities including trips and career exploration
- Effective partnership between school leadership and trust, with dedicated and proud staff
Areas for Improvement
- Too many pupils have persistent absence from school, affecting their learning and social experiences
- Some staff do not adapt or model learning effectively, meaning pupils struggle to understand activities and learn independently
- Limited support for pupils at early stages of reading and weak vocabulary comprehension
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips, career exploration, music, art and design, food technology, entrepreneur activities, care sector vocational opportunities
Daylesford Academy is an alternative provision school for pupils aged 11-16 who have been excluded, are at risk of exclusion, or have become disengaged from learning. The school has made rapid developments since opening in 2022, with dedicated leaders and a caring trust committed to supporting pupils with complex social and emotional needs.
At a Glance
69.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Daylesford Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Daylesford Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Daylesford Academy is in Solihull; for families living there:
Apply to Solihull for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 10
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 5 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Solihull is 12 (the median across 90 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
66%
Available places
23 pupils
35 places
12 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Solihull
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Solihull
Across Solihull council
Places available
3,299
Applications
2,632
Got 1st preference
79.7%
Got preferred school
97.1%
All secondary applications across Solihull council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
73.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
23
Total Pupils
15
Boys
8
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
2.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,386
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Daylesford Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Daylesford Academy
What is Daylesford Academy's Ofsted rating?
Daylesford Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2022. Before that, as Summerfield Education Centre (URN 133531), it was rated Requires Improvement in May 2021.
What is the catchment area for Daylesford Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Daylesford Academy is oversubscribed, Solihull allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Daylesford Academy?
Daylesford Academy has around 23 pupils on roll. 70% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Daylesford Academy?
Apply through Solihull's coordinated admissions process, naming Daylesford Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Daylesford Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 5 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Solihull is 12 (the median across 90 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Daylesford Academy?
Daylesford Academy is at Lyndon Road, Solihull, B92 7QW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)