Shireland Biomedical Utc
West Bromwich, B70 8DJ · Sandwell · secondary school
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18th of 20 secondary schools in Sandwell we can score, 22 in total — the rest without enough published data. 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 — 4.5/10 against 294 of them, against 2.4/10 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 | 5 | 35% | 0.19 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2022/23 | 34.2 · 23 | 30% | 0.69 |
| Progress 8 2022/23 | -0.32 · 26 | 25% | 0.64 |
| Attainment 8 2022/23 | 40.3 · 21 | 10% | 0.21 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Shireland Biomedical Utc overview
How it's doing
In 2022/23, 34.2% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 40.3, compared to the national median of 45.0. Progress 8 was -0.32, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Ofsted rated the school Requires improvement in January 2024. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (4.9 out of 10 against similar schools, 2.5 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 520 pupils against a stated capacity of 600. 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 to close the gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific actions are being taken to address the Requires improvement rating from the 2024 inspection?
What Ofsted said about Shireland Biomedical Utc
Overview
Shireland Biomedical UTC has made improvements since transferring to a trust, with pupils in key stage 3 happy and behaviour routines well embedded. However, there remains variability in the curriculum and inconsistency in some areas, particularly in Years 7 and 8.
Strengths
- Pupils in key stage 3 benefit from a cross-curricular 'literacy4life' curriculum.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified accurately.
- The sixth form has a strong focus on biomedical education, with clear identification of key knowledge and good use of assessment.
- Attendance is high, with leaders systematic in their approach to tackling poor attendance.
Areas to improve
- Some teachers do not have sufficient pedagogical content knowledge to deliver the curriculum, often because they have just started at the UTC.
- Some learning activities are not adapted sufficiently for pupils' prior understanding, including pupils with SEND.
- The UTC's work on pupils' personal development is at an early stage, with inconsistencies in the delivery of the agreed curriculum.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
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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