Fairfax, Sutton Coldfield

Coming up: an open evening on Tuesday 24 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Fairfax averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.5 in Birmingham and 47 across England.

53% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Birmingham and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 49.1.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.13: pupils made below 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 38.1, against 51.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 28 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 238 families put Fairfax as their first choice and 1453 named it as one of their preferences, for 263 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 19 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Fairfax are The Royal Sutton School (0.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.8); Plantsbrook School (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.1); Bishop Walsh Catholic School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.8); and Bishop Vesey's Grammar School (1.1 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 79.5).

Fairfax's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Fairfax is one of 4 schools run by Fairfax Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.2 in 2024/25.

Of the 269 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 90% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 35% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 126 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 65% went on to university or other higher education, 9% to apprenticeships and 13% into work. 12% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

7.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (68%), Mixed (9%) and Asian (8%).

In 2026, 205 pupils (13%) received SEN support and 26 (1.6%) 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 moderate learning difficulty.

Fairfax has a resourced provision: 20 places, 16 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Sutton Coldfield Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is John Willmott School (adjacent), 70 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 169 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Birmingham (435).

In 2024/25, Fairfax issued 88 suspensions, 5.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 6 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Fairfax are Hollyfield Primary School (0.1 miles), Holy Cross Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles), New Hall Primary School (0.7 miles) and Whitehouse Common Primary School (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.