Saltley Academy, Birmingham
Saltley Academy is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Birmingham, part of Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 71st-highest of the 91 schools in Birmingham with published results, and 2,669th of 3,298 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
- Progress (2024)
- Average
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 26 Oct 2026
Saltley Academy in detail
Saltley Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Saltley Academy is committed to developing outstanding learners. This means that all students will have the opportunity, guidance and care to ensure that:"
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are proud not just of our examination results, but also our commitment to valuing each individual/pupil, celebrating all the cultures of our city and country and being the best we can be."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include STEM, eco club and Duke of Edinburgh.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Saltley Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.5 in Birmingham and 47 across England.
32% 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 39.4.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.07: 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 37.3, against 43.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.1 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Multimedia, Combined Science and Religious Studies.
Getting a place at Saltley Academy
For September 2026 entry, 172 families put Saltley Academy as their first choice and 1190 named it as one of their preferences, for 254 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Saltley Academy are Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Birmingham East (0.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 56.2); Waverley Studio College (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 16.6); Waverley School (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.1); and Washwood Heath Academy (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.4).
Saltley Academy's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Birmingham EastWaverley Studio CollegeWaverley SchoolWashwood Heath Academy
The trust
Saltley Academy is one of 8 schools run by Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.3 in 2024/25.
Where pupils go next
Of the 240 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 37% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 0% into work.
Who goes there
57.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 72.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (67%), Black (14%) and other ethnic groups (6%).
Saltley Academy has a SEN unit for autism: 40 places, 49 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Stechford Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Saltley Grammar School (opposite), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Saltley Academy 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 667 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, vehicle crime and other theft. 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, Saltley Academy issued 401 suspensions, 29.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 8 permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Saltley Academy are Alston Primary School (0.2 miles), Bordesley Green Primary School (0.5 miles), Thornton Primary School (0.5 miles) and Sladefield Infant School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Alston Primary SchoolBordesley Green Primary SchoolThornton Primary SchoolSladefield Infant School
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; 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
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from February 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2018 inspection - up from Inadequate.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
About
Saltley Academy is a mixed secondary school located in the Bordesley Green area of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
57.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from -0.19 to -0.07 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 41.5 to 39.8 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 28% to 32% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 39.8 | 32.1% |
| Disadvantaged(157) | - | 37.3 | 29.9% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(108) | - | 43.4 | 35.2% |
| Boys(151) | - | 38.9 | 30.5% |
| Girls(114) | - | 41.1 | 34.2% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(193) | - | 40.1 | 31.6% |
| Non mobile(241) | - | 40.7 | 32.8% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 240 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
8
Permanent exclusions
0.58%
Exclusion rate
401
Suspensions
29.06%
Suspension rate
228 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 1,380 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Saltley Academy
Term dates
Saltley Academy is an academy, 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
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Saltley Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Saltley Academy is in Birmingham; for families living there:
- How to apply: Travel passes for 5 to 16 year olds
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 74
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 10
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 74 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 67 slight.
10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
17 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.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Saltley Academy
Will you get a place at Saltley Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Saltley Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Saltley Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Saltley Academy.
- Birmingham publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Saltley Academy that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Saltley Academy for 2016 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
101%
Over capacity
1,369 pupils
1,350 places
19 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Birmingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Birmingham
Across Birmingham council
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
254
SEN Support
67
EHC Plans
23.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Saltley Academy has a SEN unit for autism: 40 places, 49 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,356
Total Pupils
793
Boys
563
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
99
Teachers
13.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,560
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,098
Per pupil
£12318k
Total funding
£832k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.7%
Overall absence
35.1%
Persistent absence
1,491
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Saltley Academy
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Saltley Academy
What are GCSE results like at Saltley Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Saltley Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 39.8. 32% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Saltley Academy's Ofsted rating?
Saltley Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Saltley Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Saltley Academy is oversubscribed, Birmingham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Saltley Academy?
Saltley Academy was full in 2025, at 101% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Saltley Academy?
Classes at Saltley Academy average 20.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Saltley Academy?
Saltley Academy has around 1356 pupils on roll. 57% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Saltley Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Saltley Academy has a SEN unit for autism: 40 places, 49 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Saltley Academy?
10.7% of sessions were missed at Saltley Academy in 2024/25. 35.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Saltley Academy?
Apply through Birmingham's coordinated admissions process, naming Saltley Academy 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 Saltley Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 74 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 67 slight. 10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 17 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 Saltley Academy?
Saltley Academy is at Belchers Lane, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, B9 5RX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)