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Best secondary schools in Birmingham

77 of 110 secondary schools ranked by Progress 8 · all Birmingham schools · primary schools

Ranked on Progress 8, 2023/24 — the most recent year each school has published. Official data, not our opinion — but the ranking is only as good as the measure, and a single number never describes a school. We hold real catchment boundaries for 6 of them.

# School Progress 8 Ofsted Places Catchment
1 Eden Boys' School, Birmingham Birmingham 1.58 Outstanding oversubscribed 2.15 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
2 St Paul's School for Girls Birmingham 1.23 Outstanding oversubscribed 1.6 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
3 Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, Birmingham Birmingham 1.18 Outstanding oversubscribed 3.51 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
4 King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys Birmingham grammar 1.09 Outstanding oversubscribed 1.93 first prefs per place, 2026/27 mapped
5 Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls Sutton Coldfield grammar 1.05 Good oversubscribed 1.79 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
6 Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Birmingham East Birmingham 0.98 Outstanding oversubscribed 2.97 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
7 King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls Birmingham grammar 0.96 Outstanding oversubscribed 2.25 first prefs per place, 2026/27 mapped
8 St John Wall Catholic School Birmingham 0.82 Good undersubscribed 0.68 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
9 King Edward VI Handsworth School Birmingham grammar 0.8 Not judged about even 1.08 first prefs per place, 2026/27 mapped
10 King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys Birmingham grammar 0.78 Good about even 1.04 first prefs per place, 2026/27 mapped
11 Bishop Vesey's Grammar School Sutton Coldfield grammar 0.75 Outstanding oversubscribed 1.61 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
12 King Edward VI Lordswood School for Girls Birmingham 0.75 Good improving undersubscribed 0.71 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
13 Nishkam High School Birmingham 0.69 Not judged oversubscribed 1.94 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
14 King Edward VI Five Ways School Birmingham grammar 0.68 Good oversubscribed 2.15 first prefs per place, 2026/27 mapped
15 Kings Norton Girls' School Birmingham 0.64 Outstanding improving oversubscribed 1.27 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
16 Bordesley Green Girls' School & Sixth Form Birmingham 0.6 Good about even 0.87 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
17 St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School Birmingham 0.6 Good undersubscribed 0.84 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
18 Selly Park Girls' School Birmingham hidden gem 0.55 Good undersubscribed 0.57 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
19 Hillcrest School and Sixth Form Centre Birmingham 0.46 Good undersubscribed 0.67 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
20 King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy Birmingham 0.43 Not judged about even 1.01 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
21 Small Heath Leadership Academy Birmingham hidden gem 0.42 Good undersubscribed 0.62 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
22 Bishop Walsh Catholic School Sutton Coldfield 0.41 Good about even 1.05 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
23 Queensbridge School Birmingham 0.35 Good about even 1.13 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
24 Hodge Hill Girls' School Birmingham 0.32 Good undersubscribed 0.77 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
25 St Edmund Campion Catholic School Birmingham 0.29 Good about even 1.0 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
26 Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School Birmingham 0.27 Good about even 0.99 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
27 Harborne Academy Birmingham 0.27 Good improving about even 0.97 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
28 Ark St Alban's Academy Birmingham 0.26 Good declining oversubscribed 1.31 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
29 Aston Manor Academy Birmingham 0.25 Outstanding improving about even 1.03 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
30 Lift Four Dwellings Secondary Birmingham 0.22 Good improving undersubscribed 0.83 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
31 Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School Birmingham 0.21 Good about even 0.88 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
32 Bishop Challoner Catholic College Birmingham 0.2 Good about even 0.92 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
33 Hodge Hill College Birmingham 0.19 Good undersubscribed 0.78 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
34 King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy Birmingham 0.19 Good oversubscribed 1.19 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
35 Lordswood Boys' School Birmingham hidden gem 0.19 Good undersubscribed 0.61 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
36 Wheelers Lane Technology College Birmingham 0.19 Not judged improving about even 1.04 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
37 Yardleys School Birmingham 0.17 Good about even 1.07 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
38 King Edward VI Aston School Birmingham grammar 0.14 Outstanding about even 0.98 first prefs per place, 2026/27 mapped
39 Ninestiles, an Academy Birmingham hidden gem 0.12 Good declining undersubscribed 0.59 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
40 The Arthur Terry School Sutton Coldfield 0.11 Good about even 1.07 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
41 Birmingham Ormiston Academy Birmingham 0.09 Good — approximate
42 Hall Green School Birmingham 0.08 Not judged about even 0.9 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
43 E-ACT Heartlands Academy Birmingham 0.07 Not judged oversubscribed 1.17 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
44 Broadway Academy Birmingham hidden gem 0.05 Good undersubscribed 0.54 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
45 Hamstead Hall Academy Birmingham hidden gem 0.05 Good undersubscribed 0.63 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
46 Holte School Birmingham -0.01 Good about even 0.86 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
47 Plantsbrook School Sutton Coldfield -0.01 Good declining about even 1.01 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
48 Turves Green Boys' School Birmingham -0.01 Good about even 0.86 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
49 Holyhead School Birmingham -0.04 Good declining about even 0.98 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
50 Rockwood Academy Birmingham hidden gem -0.06 Good improving undersubscribed 0.62 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
51 Saltley Academy Birmingham -0.07 Good undersubscribed 0.68 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
52 The University of Birmingham School Birmingham -0.09 Good oversubscribed 1.94 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
53 Erdington Academy Birmingham -0.12 Good improving undersubscribed 0.67 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
54 Holy Trinity Catholic School Birmingham hidden gem -0.12 Good undersubscribed 0.62 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
55 Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School Birmingham -0.13 Good undersubscribed 0.84 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
56 Fairfax Sutton Coldfield -0.13 Good about even 0.9 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
57 Kings Heath Secondary School Birmingham -0.19 Good undersubscribed 0.69 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
58 George Dixon Academy Birmingham -0.23 Not judged declining undersubscribed 0.77 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
59 Stockland Green School Birmingham -0.26 Good improving about even 1.1 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
60 Tile Cross Academy Birmingham -0.26 Good improving about even 0.92 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
61 King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls Birmingham -0.31 Good oversubscribed 1.18 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
62 Colmers School and Sixth Form College Birmingham -0.32 Requires improvement undersubscribed 0.79 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
63 E-ACT North Birmingham Academy Birmingham -0.32 Good undersubscribed 0.79 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
64 Fortis Academy Birmingham hidden gem -0.32 Good improving undersubscribed 0.54 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
65 Moseley School and Sixth Form Birmingham -0.33 Good undersubscribed 0.7 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
66 Arena Academy Birmingham -0.36 Not judged undersubscribed 0.75 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
67 Aston University Engineering Academy Birmingham -0.4 Good — approximate
68 Bartley Green School Birmingham -0.46 Good declining undersubscribed 0.75 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
69 City Academy Birmingham -0.47 Requires improvement undersubscribed 0.56 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
70 King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy Birmingham -0.48 Good about even 1.15 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
71 Ark Boulton Academy Birmingham -0.49 Good improving undersubscribed 0.82 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
72 Cockshut Hill School Birmingham -0.54 Good improving undersubscribed 0.65 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
73 Jewellery Quarter Academy Birmingham -0.6 Not judged improving undersubscribed 0.5 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
74 E-ACT Shenley Academy Birmingham -0.7 Not judged declining undersubscribed 0.72 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
75 The Royal Sutton School Sutton Coldfield hidden gem -0.74 Good undersubscribed 0.53 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
76 Lift Greenwood Birmingham -0.97 Good about even 0.85 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
77 Waverley Studio College Birmingham -1.42 Good improving — approximate

Also in Birmingham

33 further secondary schools with no published Progress 8 for the latest year — usually too small a cohort to report, newly opened, or a special school. Listed because leaving them out would make this a misleading picture of Birmingham, not a fairer one.

Applying in Birmingham

Knowing which school is best is only half of it — these are the deadlines that decide whether you can apply at all.

Rankings compare published results. They do not tell you which school your child will get into — that depends on where you live, sibling and faith priority, and how many people apply this year. Ask below, or check the Birmingham admission criteria.

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