Aldridge School - A Science College
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,629 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.2
Voluntary aided school
St Francis of Assisi Catholic College
- Pupils on roll
- 1,109of 1,100 places
- Free school meals
- 26.4%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 179
- Ofsted
- Report card, 17 March 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Strong standardAchievement Strong standardAttendance and behaviour Strong standardPersonal development and wellbeing Expected standardInclusion Strong standardLeadership and governance Strong standardPost-16 provision Expected standardSafeguarding Met
What the data says
Of the 167 pupils who finished Year 11 at St Francis of Assisi Catholic College in 2023, 56% stayed on in St Francis of Assisi Catholic College’s own sixth form (Walsall average 43%), 26% went to a further education college and 4% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 111 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 62% went to university (Walsall 35%, England 37%), and 16% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Sociology is unusually popular at GCSE: 22% of the year group took it, against 4% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 53.2 against 46.1 across England and 43.0 in Walsall, with 59% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Walsall and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | This school | Walsall | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 167 | 3,611 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 90% | 90% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 83% | 85% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 56% | 43% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 1% | — | 13% |
| — further education college | 26% | 41% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 3% | 2% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 5% | 7% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 4% | 4% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | This school | Walsall | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 111 | 3,439 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 92% | 75% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 62% | 35% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 16% | 17% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 7% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 8% | 8% | 7% |
| Employment | 21% | 24% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 5% | 19% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | This school | Walsall | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 53.2 | 43.0 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 59% | 39% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 80% | 57% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 10% | 36% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.27 | 3.77 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 22% | 40% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 47.6 | 34.4 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 54.8 | 48.6 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 19% | 21% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 179 | 100% | 89% | 18% | 20% | 79% |
| Mathematics | 179 | 100% | 88% | 21% | 22% | 85% |
| English Literature | 179 | 100% | 86% | 20% | 21% | 82% |
| Religious Studies | 177 | 99% | 31% | 42% | 32% | 82% |
| Combined Science | 177 | 99% | 65% | 21% | 9% | 75% |
| History | 75 | 42% | 41% | 33% | 26% | 68% |
| Design and Technology | 65 | 36% | 11% | 25% | 23% | 88% |
| Geography | 47 | 26% | 41% | 26% | 25% | 72% |
| Computer Science | 45 | 25% | 13% | 29% | 30% | 71% |
| Physical Education | 43 | 24% | 11% | 14% | 24% | 63% |
| Sociology | 40 | 22% | 4% | 33% | 21% | 78% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 36 | 20% | 8% | 58% | 21% | 75% |
| French | 29 | 16% | 18% | 38% | 29% | 93% |
| Fine Art | 26 | 15% | 9% | 42% | 28% | 88% |
| Media Studies | 22 | 12% | 4% | 41% | 20% | 91% |
| Music | 16 | 9% | 5% | 38% | 33% | 75% |
| Polish | 11 | 6% | 1% | 82% | 84% | 100% |
| Drama | 9 | 5% | 7% | 11% | 27% | 78% |
| Chinese | 4 | 2% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
| Italian | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
| Russian | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Studies | 22 | 24% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 18 | 20% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | This school | Walsall | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 190 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 90 | 1,281 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 34.31 | 33.52 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 9% | 20% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 27 | 30% | 23% |
| Mathematics | 25 | 28% | 31% |
| Business Studies | 19 | 21% | 13% |
| Computer Science | 16 | 18% | 5% |
| Media Studies | 14 | 16% | 4% |
| Sociology | 13 | 14% | 13% |
| Physics | 12 | 13% | 12% |
| Religious Studies | 12 | 13% | 4% |
| History | 10 | 11% | 13% |
| Product Design | 9 | 10% | 2% |
| Further Mathematics | 8 | 9% | 5% |
| Biology | 7 | 8% | 20% |
| English Literature | 7 | 8% | 11% |
| Chemistry | 7 | 8% | 17% |
| Physical Education | — | — | 3% |
| Polish | — | — | 0% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Geography | — | — | 10% |
| Music | — | — | 0% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 33 | 37% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 20 | 22% | — |
| Law / Legal Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 13 | 14% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 10 | 11% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 9 | 10% | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 7% | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Law / Legal Studies | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Geography | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| History | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Geography | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| History | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Walsall
Barr Beacon School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,469 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 51.0
Bloxwich Academy
Academy sponsor led · 1,383 pupils
79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 32.9
Blue Coat Church of England Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 972 pupils
88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 37.4
Brownhills Ormiston Academy
Academy converter · 778 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 37.1
Grace Academy Darlaston
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,059 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.2
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.