Barr Beacon School
Walsall, WS9 0RF · Walsall · secondary school
Check the area around this school
4th of 19 secondary schools in Walsall we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 7.9/10 against 910 of them, against 7.1/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 56.9 · 77 | 30% | 2.30 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.19 · 64 | 25% | 1.60 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 50.4 · 71 | 10% | 0.71 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Barr Beacon School overview
How it's doing
Ofsted rated the school Good in January 2023. In 2024/25, 62.1% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 51.0, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.19 in 2023/24, indicating better progress than pupils nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (8.3 out of 10 against similar schools, 7.5 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,469 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,487. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils in raising their Attainment 8 scores further? What specific support is available for students aiming for higher grades in English and maths?
What Ofsted said about Barr Beacon School
Overview
Barr Beacon School is described as a ‘friendly and welcoming’ environment where pupils ‘enjoy attending’ and ‘achieve very well’. The inspection highlights a culture where students are ‘proud to succeed’, supported by high-quality curriculum planning and exceptional behaviour.
Strengths
- Pupils ‘behave impeccably in lessons’, are ‘extremely well-motivated, polite and courteous’, and create a ‘calm, purposeful and orderly’ environment.
- The curriculum is ‘carefully designed’ to build logically, with teachers possessing ‘strong subject knowledge’ and passion for their subjects.
- Leaders promote a ‘love of reading’ through age-appropriate books that broaden pupils’ knowledge of social and cultural issues.
- Extra-curricular activities are of the ‘highest quality’ with ‘nearly all pupils’ participating, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
- Staff morale is ‘high’ and trustees are ‘highly effective’, ensuring decisions are always in the ‘best interests of pupils’.
Areas to improve
- Not all teachers use information from routine learning checks to adapt their teaching effectively, meaning pupils are sometimes ‘moved on to new learning before they are ready’.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, characterised by a ‘strong culture of vigilance’ where staff quickly pass on concerns and leaders use detailed records to identify trends and provide targeted support.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 50.4 |
| 2024/25 | 51.0 |
| 2025/26 | 50.4 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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