Holly Lodge High School College of Science, Smethwick

Ofsted's report card from its 19 May 2026 inspection grades Holly Lodge High School College of Science 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. "Leaders' work to ensure that pupils attend school regularly is highly successful."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Holly Lodge provides an extensive, well-considered and responsive personal development and wellbeing offer that leaders keep under constant review."

Post-16 provision - Strong standard. "The school offers a broad and ambitious range of academic and vocational courses within the sixth form."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Many pupils join the school needing immediate support with literacy and numeracy."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders routinely monitor the curriculum well."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school has a very high proportion of pupils, who are disadvantaged and who speak English is an additional language."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders, including those with responsibility for governance, know the school and wider community well."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that all staff adapt their teaching and assessment consistently to enable pupils, including those who face barriers to their learning, to receive the effective support and challenge needed to deepen their knowledge and key skills"; "Leaders should ensure that all pupils secure the foundational knowledge they need, particularly in reading and writing, to successfully access and develop their learning across the curriculum".

In 2026, pupils at Holly Lodge High School College of Science averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.2 in Sandwell and 47 across England.

29% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 37% in Sandwell and 47% in England.

That is down from 42.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.1: pupils made about 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 33.6, against 42.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.8 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 143 families put Holly Lodge High School College of Science as their first choice and 350 named it as one of their preferences, for 241 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Holly Lodge High School College of Science are Bristnall Hall Academy (1 mile, Outstanding, Attainment 8 51.6); West Bromwich Collegiate Academy (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 48.4); Q3 Academy Langley (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 50.4); and Sandwell Academy (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Holly Lodge High School College of Science.

Holly Lodge High School College of Science is run by its own single-school academy trust.

Of the 288 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 38% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 92 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 73% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 10% into work. 19% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

44.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 48.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (63%), Black (15%) and other ethnic groups (6%).

In 2026, 167 pupils (10.2%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Smethwick Galton Bridge Rail Station, about 650 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).

18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Holly Lane (before), 90 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holly Lodge High School College of Science stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Holly Lodge High School College of Science issued 146 suspensions, 8.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 9 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Holly Lodge High School College of Science are George Betts Primary Academy (0.4 miles), Devonshire Junior Academy (0.5 miles), Devonshire Infant Academy (0.5 miles) and Rood End Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.