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Nishkam High School, Birmingham

Outstanding
Secondary
Free schools
Mixed
Sikh
Ages 11–19

Nishkam High School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Birmingham, part of Nishkam Schools Multi Academy Trust. It has a Sikh religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 15th-highest of the 91 schools in Birmingham with published results, and 732nd of 3,298 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.9 first-choice applications for every place. It was 95% full in 2025.

GCSE results
Above England average
Ofsted
Outstanding (2014)
Demand
1.9 first choices per place
Attendance
Better than England average
Progress (2024)
Well above average
New inspections, open days and news, by email.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days

Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Birmingham (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.

Data last updated 27 Oct 2026

Nishkam High School in detail

Results

In 2026, pupils at Nishkam High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 52, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.5 in Birmingham and 47 across England.

56% 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 51.3.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.69: pupils made well 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 49.9, against 53.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 3.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 19 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.

Getting a place at Nishkam High School

For September 2026 entry, 233 families put Nishkam High School as their first choice and 1119 named it as one of their preferences, for 120 places offered. That is 1.9 first choices for every place. 134 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

Admissions history and your chances at Nishkam High School

Compared with nearby schools

The nearest other state secondary schools to Nishkam High School are Holte School (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.1); Aston Manor Academy (0.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 45); King Edward VI Handsworth School (0.8 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 76.2); and Jewellery Quarter Academy (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.1).

Nishkam High School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Holte SchoolAston Manor AcademyKing Edward VI Handsworth SchoolJewellery Quarter Academy

The trust

Nishkam High School is one of 6 schools run by Nishkam Schools Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

All 6 schools in Nishkam Schools Multi Academy Trust

What parents say

108 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Nishkam High School (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 68% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (68%).

Where pupils go next

Of the 102 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 93% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 36% to a further education college and 1% into work.

Of the 62 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 74% went on to university or other higher education and 10% to apprenticeships. 20% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

Who goes there

28.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (72%), Black (14%) and Mixed (7%).

In 2026, 63 pupils (9.4%) received SEN support and 26 (3.9%) 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.

Getting there

The nearest tram or metro stop is Jewellery Quarter (West Midlands Metro), about 780 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Boulton Circus (after), 110 metres away.

The area around the school

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Nishkam High School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 877 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, vehicle crime and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Birmingham (435), as is usual near a town centre.

Suspensions and exclusions

In 2024/25, Nishkam High School issued 59 suspensions, 8.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

Primary schools nearby

The primary schools closest to Nishkam High School are Anglesey Primary School (0.3 miles), St Francis Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles), St Chad's Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles) and Lozells Junior and Infant School and Nursery (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.

Anglesey Primary SchoolSt Francis Catholic Primary SchoolSt Chad's Catholic Primary SchoolLozells Junior and Infant School and Nursery

Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Headteacher Emma Wilks
Pupils:668
LA:Birmingham
Phone:01213487660
Address:Great King Street North, Birmingham, B19 2LF
Trust:NISHKAM SCHOOLS MULTI ACADEMY TRUST (6 schools)
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:31 August 2012

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 2 years ago

This judgement is from April 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.

-

Overall

Outstanding

Quality of Education

Outstanding

Behaviour & Attitudes

Outstanding

Personal Development

Outstanding

Leadership & Management

Outstanding

Sixth Form

Inspected 11 March 2025View full report
URN:138586
UKPRN:10038734
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Birmingham Ladywood
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.

What This School Does Well

Nishkam High School excels at combining academic excellence with genuine inclusivity, ensuring every child can succeed regardless of their background or challenges. Teachers are highly knowledgeable in their subjects, and the school has carefully sequenced the curriculum so pupils build the knowledge they need to thrive. Your child will be in a safe, respectful environment where behaviour is outstanding and they'll have access to excellent support and a wide range of opportunities to develop their interests and talents.

Key Strengths

  • Exceptional academic achievement at GCSE and in the sixth form, with very high entry levels and outcomes
  • Excellent subject knowledge demonstrated by teachers who teach to their specialisms
  • Strong support for pupils with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, ensuring all can access the curriculum
  • Outstanding behaviour and attitudes, with pupils showing maturity, responsibility and courtesy
  • Comprehensive personal development through curriculum integration and a wide array of enrichment opportunities

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils knowing how to keep themselves safe and confident there is always an adult to talk to if needed.

Extracurricular Activities

Debates on artificial intelligence, symphony hall trip to see Swan Lake, STEAM club for girls in science, mathematics clubs and sessions, prefect roles, librarian positions, sports captains, work experience programme in sixth form

Nishkam High School is rooted in inclusivity and academic excellence, with values and virtues that underpin every aspect of school life. Pupils are very proud of their school, achieve very highly, and enjoy their learning in a place open to all.

At a Glance

30.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

108 responses
Would recommend95%
Child is happy93%
Child does well96%
High expectations94%
Feels safe95%
Well behaved94%
Bullying dealt with (of parents with a view)68%
Kept informed94%
Handles concerns (of parents who raised one)89%
Wider development89%

Source: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree

Secondary Performance (GCSE)

Academic year 2025/26

GCSE Results

2023
2024
2025
2026
Attainment 8 GCSE Eng+Maths

2025/26 academic year

Progress 8 has declined from 0.94 to 0.69 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 56.4 to 52.0 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has declined from 68% to 56% (2023 to 2026).

Performance by Group

GroupProgress 8Attainment 8Eng+Maths 5+
All pupils-52.056.2%
Disadvantaged(50)-49.946%
Not known to be disadvantaged(71)-53.463.4%
Boys(60)-52.760%
Girls(61)-51.252.5%
Show more breakdowns (2)
Known or believed to be other than English(49)-53.159.2%
Non mobile(118)-51.855.1%

2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data

GCSE Subjects Offered

Mathematics242
English Language242
English Literature240
Religious Studies218
Combined Science176
Geography142
Business Studies128
French110
Computer Science92
Other Modern Languages75
Art and Design74
History74
Biology66
Physics66
Chemistry66
Health Studies52
Physical Education34
Social Studies16
Music16

2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils

After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations

After GCSEs (Year 11) - 102 students

Continued education93%
Further education36%
Apprenticeships0%
Employment1%
Not in education/employment5%

2023/24 data

Exclusions & Suspensions

0

Permanent exclusions

0.00%

Exclusion rate

59

Suspensions

8.81%

Suspension rate

46 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 670 pupils

2024/25 academic year

How Does This School Compare?

Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools

See peer comparison with Pro - £9 a month, or £90 a year, inc. VAT

Keep up with Nishkam High School

Term dates

Nishkam High School is a free school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Birmingham's term dates for its community schools.

Getting There

Tube / Metro / Tram

Jewellery Quarter (West Midlands Metro)
777m · 13 min walk

Bus Stops

Boulton Circus (after)
110m · 2 min walk
Farm Street (adj)
164m · 3 min walk
Melbourne Avenue (opp)
316m · 5 min walk
Well Street (adj)
322m · 5 min walk
Unett Street (opp)
339m · 6 min walk

Free school transport

Check free transport to Nishkam High School from your postcode →

You apply to the council where you live. Nishkam High School is in Birmingham; for families living there:

Safety and surroundings

Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)

Collisions
61
Fatal
0
Serious
6
Children hurt
13

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 61 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 55 slight.

13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 9 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.

6 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 Birmingham is 41 (the median across 517 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.

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Commute and house prices

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Your chances of a place at Nishkam High School

Will you get a place at Nishkam High School? Get the admissions report

Your home postcode, set against Nishkam High School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.

What the report includes for Nishkam High School:

  • The straight-line distance from your home to Nishkam High School.
  • Birmingham publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Nishkam High School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
  • Applications, first choices and offers at Nishkam High School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
  • How many families in Birmingham got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
  • The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
  • Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.

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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

95%

Near capacity

668 pupils

700 places

32 spare places in 2025

2025, DfE school capacity data

Area Demand Pressure - Birmingham

Low pressure
New homes approved:18,575
Projected new pupils:3,344

Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Birmingham

Across Birmingham council

Low demand council-wide0.97 applications per place

Places available

14,956

Applications

14,483

Got 1st preference

75.7%

Got preferred school

97.4%

All secondary applications across Birmingham council (2026/27), not just this school.

This school: 1.9 first choices per place

Inspection History(2)

11 March 2025
Quality of EducationOutstanding
Behaviour & AttitudesOutstanding
Personal DevelopmentOutstanding
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding
Sixth FormOutstanding
30 April 2014
OutstandingReport
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding

SEND & SEN Provision

SEN Overview

63

SEN Support

26

EHC Plans

13.3%

of Total Pupils

2026 academic year

Provision & Specialist Facilities

No specialist provision recorded

Pupils by Need Type

Moderate Learning Difficulty26
Social, Emotional & Mental Health19
Speech, Language & Communication19
Autistic Spectrum Disorder15
Physical Disability5
Specific Learning Difficulty2
Hearing Impairment2
Visual Impairment1
EHC Plan
SEN Support

Pupil Demographics

Ethnicity

White British
0.7%
Asian
71.5%
Black
13.9%
Mixed
7.2%
Other
4.0%
Unclassified
2.4%

2026 academic year

Key Indicators

Free School Meals30.1%
English as Additional Language28.4%

668

Total Pupils

369

Boys

299

Girls

2026 academic year

Workforce

45

Teachers

14.8:1

Pupil-teacher ratio

£54,114

Mean salary

2026 data

School Funding

£7,424

Per pupil

£4426k

Total funding

£196k

Pupil premium

Deprivation£621,897
EAL funding£18,829
Lump sum£141,970

2025-26 financial year allocations

Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.6%

Overall absence

12.6%

Persistent absence

572

Enrolments

Authorised3.9%
Unauthorised1.7%
Persistent (10%+)12.6%
Severe (50%+)1.2%

Absence trend

4.4%
18/19
6.7%
20/21
7.6%
21/22
7.4%
22/23
7.1%
23/24
5.6%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Questions parents ask about Nishkam High School

What are GCSE results like at Nishkam High School?

In the 2026 results, pupils at Nishkam High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 52. 56% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.

What is Nishkam High School's Ofsted rating?

Nishkam High School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2014, it was rated Outstanding.

What is the catchment area for Nishkam High School?

No fixed boundary. When Nishkam High School is oversubscribed, Birmingham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.

Is it hard to get a place at Nishkam High School?

Nishkam High School was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.

How big are the classes at Nishkam High School?

Classes at Nishkam High School average 22.4 pupils (2025/26).

How many pupils go to Nishkam High School?

Nishkam High School has around 668 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.

What is attendance like at Nishkam High School?

5.6% of sessions were missed at Nishkam High School in 2024/25. 12.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).

How do I apply to Nishkam High School?

Apply through Birmingham's coordinated admissions process, naming Nishkam High School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.

How many road collisions happen near Nishkam High School?

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 61 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 55 slight. 13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 9 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Birmingham is 41 (the median across 517 schools, same distance and years).

Where is Nishkam High School?

Nishkam High School is at Great King Street North, Birmingham, West Midlands, B19 2LF.

Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)

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