The Friary School
Lichfield, WS13 7EW · Staffordshire · secondary school
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2nd of 56 secondary schools in Staffordshire we can score, 70 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 9.5/10 against 886 of them, against 9.1/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. 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 | 65.0 · 87 | 30% | 2.60 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.86 · 95 | 25% | 2.38 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 58.5 · 90 | 10% | 0.90 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
The Friary School overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted (inspected 2024-05). In 2024/25, 65.7% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 57.8, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.86 in 2023/24, indicating better progress than pupils nationally starting from the same place. Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so they are not simply a reflection of who attends (9.5 out of 10 against similar schools, 9.1 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join Enterprise, Science, Friary Pen, Book, Performing Arts, and Duke of Edinburgh clubs. Sports include badminton, hockey, netball, football, and table cricket. Arts and music offer a senior choir, show band, dance club, orchestra, brass ensemble, boys choir, and tuition. Trips range from Warwick Castle and Year 8 Outwards Bounds to Normandy, Paris, Amsterdam, skiing, volcano climbing, and World Challenge. An after-school club is available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,255 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,250. 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
With the
What Ofsted said about The Friary School
Overview
The Friary School continues to be a good school, where pupils thrive within a culture of "high expectations" and "excellent" behaviour. The report highlights a "highly ambitious" curriculum that ensures pupils achieve extremely well and are confident young adults ready for their next steps.
Strengths
- The curriculum is "highly ambitious" with careful sequencing of topics, enabling pupils to make "strong progress" in many subjects.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are "supported extremely well" and are "fully integrated into school life".
- The wider development of pupils is "exceptionally strong," featuring a comprehensive PSHE curriculum and a "rich and varied" careers programme.
- Staff demonstrate "good subject knowledge" and use it skilfully to model tasks, while providing effective feedback to help pupils improve.
- Parents and carers are "overwhelmingly positive," noting that teachers "go above and beyond" and leadership is "very strong".
Areas to improve
- In a small number of areas, there is an "overemphasis on what pupils need to be able to do by the end of Year 11," which can limit learning experiences for younger pupils.
- Leaders should evolve the curriculum to ensure staff focus on what younger pupils need to know, understand, and do for their particular point of learning, rather than placing too much weight on end-of-key-stage examinations.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 57.6 |
| 2024/25 | 57.8 |
| 2025/26 | 58.5 |
| 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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