Kingsmead School, Cannock

Ofsted's report card from its 10 March 2026 inspection grades Kingsmead School 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.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress very well through the curriculum."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have a secure understanding of the quality of the school's curriculum and teaching."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have created a highly inclusive culture in school."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Most pupils attend school regularly, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and sixth-form students."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Recently, leaders have ensured that there is greater clarity about responsibilities across the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders foster pupils' broader development well through an effective personal development programme."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have a secure understanding of the quality and suitability of the sixth-form curriculum."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that pupils develop a detailed and secure understanding of the important knowledge covered in the school's personal development programme"; "Leaders should ensure that their actions to address the barriers some disadvantaged pupils face to regular attendance result in notable and sustained improvements in their attendance".

In its own words: "At Kingsmead we understand that each child is unique: we strive to unlock the potential every person has no matter what role they hold within our school. We do do this by challenging any barriers to success, recruiting the best staff and developing them to be outstanding in their day-to-day practice."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We were delighted to celebrate another year of exceptional results at Kingsmead Sixth Form in the summer of 2025. Our students achieved an average grade of B at A-Level, and a Distinction at Vocational Level, reflecting both their commitment and the high-quality support they receive."

In 2026, pupils at Kingsmead School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.7 in Staffordshire and 47 across England.

37% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 39% in Staffordshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 48.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.44: 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 40, against 48.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.5 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 285 families put Kingsmead School as their first choice and 494 named it as one of their preferences, for 254 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 35 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Kingsmead School are Staffordshire University Academy (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 33.3); Cannock Chase High School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.5); Cardinal Griffin Catholic College (1.8 miles, Attainment 8 38.3); and Norton Canes High School (2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 43.5).

Kingsmead School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Kingsmead School is one of 21 schools run by John Taylor MAT, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.8 in 2024/25.

116 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Kingsmead School (as of April 2026): 91% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 78% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (78%).

Of the 211 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 87% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 49% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 98 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 51% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 30% into work. 25% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

2.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 182 pupils (12.8%) received SEN support and 20 (1.4%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Hednesford Rail Station, about 980 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Kingsmead School (adjacent), 100 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 179 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Staffordshire (86), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Kingsmead School issued 149 suspensions, 10.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Kingsmead School are St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (0.1 miles), St Peter's CofE Primary Academy (0.3 miles), Poppyfield Primary Academy (0.6 miles) and Chadsmoor Community Infants and Nursery School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.