Ofsted: No Judgement trending_up Popular emoji_events #4 in Staffordshire public Top 15% UK

Blessed William Howard Catholic School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

person Mr Karl Brown (Headteacher)

corporate_fareST GABRIEL THE ARCHANGEL CATHOLIC MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST

location_onStafford, ST17 9AB

language Visit Website phone 01785244236

verified

Ofsted

No Judgement

Inspected 2019

groups

Students

900

trending_up

Attainment 8

55.1

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GCSE Rank

#5 in Staffordshire

#585 of 4,024 nationally

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Blessed William Howard Catholic School is a Academy converter secondary school in Stafford, serving ages 11-18. Demand is above capacity (1.1×) — apply through your local authority on time.

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School Summary

Blessed William Howard Catholic School is an academy converter in Stafford, Staffordshire, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of ST GABRIEL THE ARCHANGEL CATHOLIC MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 950 pupils on roll, of whom 22% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2026, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 55.1, placing the school #5 in Staffordshire and #585 of 4,024 nationally. 56.90% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 30.5% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 16 A-level subjects. 40.7% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 18.6% at A*–A. In the 2022/23 leavers cohort, 12.9% progressed to Top-Third Higher Education institutions (ranked #1,126 nationally), out of 51.5% progressing to higher education overall. A-level value added: -0.42 — students made below-average progress at sixth form.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2019. The school's current overall rating is No Judgement.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.1× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 16.4:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there was 1 permanent exclusion. The average suspension rate was 3.4 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2026

Attainment 8 Score

55.1

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

56.90%

Grade 4+ E&M

76.50%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)30.5%

5+ GCSEs (4+ incl. E&M)72.50%

Triple Science Entry21.60%

EBacc Slot Score15.5 / 30

2025

Attainment 8 Score

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

52.40%

Grade 4+ E&M

75.00%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)24.5%

Entering EBacc73.80%

EBacc APS4.67

2024

Progress 8 Score

0.41

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

54.5

Grade 5+ E&M

54.90%

Entering EBacc69.90%

EBacc APS4.95

2023

Progress 8 Score

0.57

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

53.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc70%

EBacc APS4.78

2022

Progress 8 Score

0.18

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

51.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc68%

EBacc APS4.64

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.25

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

47.3

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc16%

EBacc APS3.87

2018

Progress 8 Score

-0.22

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

48.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc30%

EBacc APS4.06

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2026

Stayed in Education / Employment

92.5%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships2.3%

Employment1.2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5.8%

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

97%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)92%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)3%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)92%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

93%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)85%

Apprenticeships4%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)93%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

97%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)91%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)3%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

-0.42

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Students

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*2.9%

Achieving A*–A18.6%

Achieving A*–B40.7%

VA Banding Below average

Retention rate90.9%

A-level subjects offered16

2024

A-Level Value Added

-0.11

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Retention rate97.20%

Post-18 Destinations 93.9% sustained

school Higher Education (University) 51.5%

handshake Apprenticeships 3%

work Employment 36.4%

Not sustained / NEET3%

2023

Avg Grade

Students

Retention rate94.10%

Post-18 Destinations (2022/23 leavers)93.5% sustained

school Higher Education (University) 51.6%

stars Top-Third Universities 12.9%

handshake Apprenticeships 0%

work Employment 35.5%

Not sustained / NEET6.5%

2022

Avg Grade

B-

Students

Retention rate94.5%

Post-18 Destinations 87% sustained

school Higher Education (University) 53.7%

handshake Apprenticeships 1.9%

work Employment 20.4%

Not sustained / NEET13%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results & 16-19 Destination Measures

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Ranking History & Trajectory

National & Local Authority position based on DfE performance data · Methodology

Year	Secondary Overall (Nat)	LA Rank	GCSE Attainment	Progress 8 Rank	A-Level VA	Top-Third Uni	Overall Uni (HE)
2026	#679 / 4,024	#4	#585	#1	—	#1,126	#1,630
2025	#513 / 3,948	#3	#868	#1	#2,189	#1,126	#1,630
2024	#546 / 4,450	#4	#650	#642	#1,519	#1,126	#1,630
2023	#671 / 4,321	#7	#729	#396	—	—	#1,509
2022	#954 / 4,199	#13	#1,223	#1,076	—	—	#1,524
2019	#1,700 / 2,711	#19	#1,276	#2,011	—	—	—
2018	#1,442 / 2,537	#15	#1,007	#1,844	—	—	—

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

21 May 2024

Inspection Report

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29 January 2019

Inspection Report

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05 March 2016

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2019-01-29

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

2012-10-09

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Latest Ungraded: School remains Good

2010-05-10

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

3.2%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

2.4%(23 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 957 pupils. During this period, there were 31 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 3.2%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	957	31	3.2%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	964	35	3.6%	7.8%	1
2023/24 (Summer term)	944	47	5.0%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	951	20	2.1%	7.1%	1
2023/24 (Autumn term)	948	30	3.2%	8.2%	2
2022/23 (Summer term)	912	33	3.6%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	900	22	2.4%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	912	39	4.3%	5.9%	2
2021/22 (Summer term)	907	40	4.4%	4.7%	1
2021/22 (Spring term)	914	62	6.8%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	913	74	8.1%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	883	51	5.8%	3.6%	1
2020/21 (Spring term)	886	24	2.7%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	896	60	6.7%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	860	0	0.0%	0.0%	1
2019/20 (Spring term)	860	51	5.9%	3.2%	1
2019/20 (Autumn term)	860	43	5.0%	4.2%	2
2018/19 (Summer term)	851	31	3.6%	3.1%	1
2018/19 (Spring term)	851	65	7.6%	3.8%	2
2018/19 (Autumn term)	859	49	5.7%	3.8%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	848	17	2.0%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	854	17	2.0%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	859	19	2.2%	3.7%	3
2016/17 (Summer term)	840	21	2.5%	3.0%	1
2016/17 (Spring term)	843	24	2.8%	3.3%	2
2016/17 (Autumn term)	849	28	3.3%	3.1%	1

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Specific Learning Difficulty 53 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 39 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 35 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 11 pupils

Physical Disability 5 pupils

Hearing Impairment 2 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 1 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

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Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

85%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

87%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

27%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree44%

agree39%

disagree10%

strongly disagree3%

don't know3%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree35%

agree43%

disagree20%

strongly disagree1%

don't know1%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree39%

agree24%

disagree10%

strongly disagree6%

don't know3%

not applicable18%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes37%

no63%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree62%

agree26%

disagree5%

strongly disagree7%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree60%

agree33%

disagree5%

strongly disagree1%

don't know1%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree45%

agree47%

disagree4%

strongly disagree3%

don't know1%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree41%

agree46%

disagree11%

strongly disagree1%

don't know1%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree40%

agree52%

disagree6%

strongly disagree2%

don't know1%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree36%

agree54%

disagree5%

don't know5%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree36%

agree39%

disagree15%

strongly disagree3%

don't know8%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes87%

no13%

Top Secondary Schools in Staffordshire

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

The Friary School

Good

location_on Lichfield, WS13 7EW

emoji_events #1 in LA

Painsley Catholic College

Good

location_on Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 1LH

emoji_events #2 in LA

John Taylor High School

Outstanding

location_on Burton-on-Trent, DE13 8AZ

emoji_events #3 in LA

King Edward VI School

Good

location_on Lichfield, WS14 9EE

emoji_events #5 in LA

Walton High School

Good

location_on Stafford, ST17 0LJ

emoji_events #6 in LA

Endon High School

Good

location_on Stoke-on-Trent, ST9 9EE

emoji_events #7 in LA

View all schools in Staffordshire arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

Ranking History & Trajectory

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Roman Catholic)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Secondary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Secondary Schools in Staffordshire

The Friary School

Painsley Catholic College

John Taylor High School

King Edward VI School

Walton High School

Endon High School