Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,152 pupils
81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.7
University technical college
Aston University Engineering Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 1,010of 600 places
- Free school meals
- 42.3%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 81
- Ofsted
- Report card, 24 February 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Strong standardAchievement Strong standardAttendance and behaviour Strong standardPersonal development and wellbeing Strong standardInclusion Strong standardLeadership and governance Strong standardPost-16 provision Strong standardSafeguarding Met
What the data says
Of the 81 pupils who finished Year 11 at Aston University Engineering Academy in 2023, 43% stayed on in Aston University Engineering Academy’s own sixth form (Birmingham average 33%), 42% went to a further education college and 2% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 209 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 63% went to university (Birmingham 46%, England 37%), and 29% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Business Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 57% of the year group took it, against 18% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 44.1 against 46.1 across England and 46.6 in Birmingham, with 48% 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 Birmingham and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 81 | 14,526 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 99% | 90% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 95% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 43% | 33% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 7% | 13% | 13% |
| — further education college | 42% | 39% | 37% |
| — other education | 2% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 1% | 3% |
| Employment | 1% | 1% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 1% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 0% | 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 | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 209 | 10,326 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 84% | 75% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 63% | 46% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 29% | 28% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 7% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 4% | 7% |
| Employment | 12% | 17% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 11% | 18% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 44.1 | 46.6 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 48% | 45% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 73% | 64% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 0% | 48% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.60 | 4.15 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 58% | 48% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 42.3 | 40.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 46.6 | 52.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 40% | 39% | 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 | 81 | 100% | 89% | 19% | 20% | 75% |
| Mathematics | 80 | 99% | 88% | 36% | 22% | 86% |
| English Literature | 80 | 99% | 86% | 18% | 21% | 74% |
| Business Studies | 46 | 57% | 18% | 22% | 20% | 57% |
| Combined Science | 42 | 52% | 65% | 5% | 9% | 57% |
| Biology | 39 | 48% | 23% | 31% | 45% | 95% |
| Chemistry | 38 | 47% | 23% | 50% | 47% | 97% |
| Physics | 38 | 47% | 23% | 42% | 46% | 100% |
| Design and Technology | 22 | 27% | 11% | 9% | 23% | 64% |
| Fine Art | 12 | 15% | 9% | 33% | 28% | 100% |
| Chinese | 2 | 2% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
| Spanish | 2 | 2% | 19% | — | 27% | — |
| Italian | 2 | 2% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
| Religious Studies | 1 | 1% | 31% | — | 32% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 634 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 95 | 4,724 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 29.87 | 34.88 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 9% | 22% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 64 | 67% | 31% |
| Chemistry | 49 | 52% | 17% |
| Biology | 48 | 51% | 20% |
| Business Studies | 23 | 24% | 13% |
| Physics | 23 | 24% | 12% |
| Product Design | 8 | 8% | 2% |
| Further Mathematics | 7 | 7% | 5% |
| Portuguese | — | — | 0% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
| Urdu | — | — | 0% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Chinese | — | — | 0% |
| Italian | — | — | 0% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Studies | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | 101 | 100% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | 28 | 29% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 15 | 16% | — |
| Engineering Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 14 | 15% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | 14 | 15% | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Engineering Studies | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
| Engineering Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Birmingham
Arena Academy
Academy sponsor led · 969 pupils
89% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.5
Ark Boulton Academy
Academy sponsor led · 877 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.2
Ark Kings Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 739 pupils
72% stayed in education · Attainment 8 36.5
Ark St Alban's Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 797 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.9
Ark Victoria Academy
Free schools · 1,519 pupils
92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.4
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.