Ofsted: Inadequate trending_up Places Available emoji_events #10 in Wolverhampton public Top 30% UK

Smestow Academy

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

personMr Ian Chamberlain

corporate_fareMATRIX ACADEMY TRUST

location_onWolverhampton, WV3 8HU

language Visit Website phone 1902539500

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Ofsted

Inadequate

Inspected 2022

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Students

654

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Attainment 8

42.6

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GCSE Rank

#13 in Wolverhampton

#2,157 of 3,216 nationally

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Smestow Academy is a Academy converter secondary school in Wolverhampton, serving ages 11-18. Currently rated Inadequate by Ofsted.

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School Summary

Smestow Academy is an academy converter in Wolverhampton, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of MATRIX ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 552 pupils on roll, of whom 55% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 42.6, placing the school #13 in Wolverhampton and #2,157 of 3,216 nationally. 31.10% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 7.9% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 5 A-level subjects. 16.7% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 11.1% at A*–A. A-level value added: 0.01 — sixth-form progress was broadly average.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2022. The school's current overall rating is Inadequate. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Inadequate, personal development Good, and leadership and management Inadequate.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.2× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 13.1:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 9.7 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)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

42.6

Grade 5+ E&M

31.10%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)7.9%

Entering EBacc45.60%

EBacc APS3.78

2024

Progress 8 Score

0.31

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

44.3

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc10.90%

EBacc APS3.54

2023

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

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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

+0.01

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make broadly expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C-

Students

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*–A11.1%

Achieving A*–B16.7%

VA Banding Average

A-level subjects offered5

2024

A-Level Value Added

-0.02

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make broadly expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

D+

Students

Retention rate100.00%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

Inspection Report

Inspection History

2 Evaluations

2022-09-21

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 2 EIF

Inadequate

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Inadequate

Development

Good

Leadership

Inadequate

2019-05-15

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

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

10.5%per term

warning Above Average

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

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

6.5%(36 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 552 pupils. During this period, there were 58 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 10.5%, which is above 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)	552	58	10.5%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	557	49	8.8%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	597	91	15.2%	7.4%	3
2023/24 (Spring term)	614	83	13.5%	7.1%	5
2023/24 (Autumn term)	618	143	23.1%	8.2%	4
2022/23 (Summer term)	652	85	13.0%	6.6%	2
2022/23 (Spring term)	654	106	16.2%	6.4%	3
2022/23 (Autumn term)	0	140	-	5.9%	2
2021/22 (Summer term)	0	105	-	4.7%	4

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 28 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 13 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 9 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 3 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 3 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils