Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,152 pupils
81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.7
Academy sponsor led
Lift Greenwood
- Pupils on roll
- 935of 1,080 places
- Free school meals
- 56.0%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 172
- Ofsted
- Report card, 13 January 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Expected standardAchievement Needs attentionAttendance and behaviour Needs attentionPersonal development and wellbeing Expected standardInclusion Expected standardLeadership and governance Expected standardPost-16 provision Not applicableSafeguarding Met
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Castle Vale Performing Arts College (URN 103506, until 28 November 2012).
What the data says
Of the 171 pupils who finished Year 11 at Lift Greenwood in 2023, 26% stayed on in Lift Greenwood’s own sixth form (Birmingham average 33%), 53% went to a further education college and 4% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 28 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 32% went to university (Birmingham 46%, England 37%), and 5% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally; 18% started an apprenticeship, well above the 7% England average.
GCSE results in 2025 were well below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 31.8 against 46.1 across England and 46.6 in Birmingham, with 19% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
A level grades average D, well below the England average of B-; 0% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%). The largest A level subjects are Chemistry, Psychology and Mathematics.
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 | Lift Greenwood | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 171 | 14,526 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 87% | 90% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 80% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 26% | 33% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 2% | 13% | 13% |
| — further education college | 53% | 39% | 37% |
| — other education | 0% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 4% | 1% | 3% |
| Employment | 3% | 1% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 9% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 5% | 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 | Lift Greenwood | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 28 | 10,326 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 79% | 75% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 32% | 46% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 5% | 28% | 19% |
| Further education | 14% | 7% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 18% | 4% | 7% |
| Employment | 14% | 17% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 14% | 18% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Lift Greenwood | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 31.8 | 46.6 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 19% | 45% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 45% | 64% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 44% | 48% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 2.77 | 4.15 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 63% | 48% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 27.9 | 40.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 38.3 | 52.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 11% | 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 | 170 | 99% | 89% | 8% | 20% | 49% |
| Mathematics | 170 | 99% | 88% | 4% | 22% | 52% |
| English Literature | 168 | 98% | 86% | 10% | 21% | 52% |
| History | 138 | 80% | 41% | 4% | 26% | 24% |
| Combined Science | 130 | 76% | 65% | 2% | 9% | 31% |
| Spanish | 94 | 55% | 19% | 4% | 27% | 28% |
| Business Studies | 45 | 26% | 18% | 4% | 20% | 33% |
| Biology | 29 | 17% | 23% | 7% | 45% | 55% |
| Physical Education | 28 | 16% | 11% | 0% | 24% | 32% |
| Chemistry | 28 | 16% | 23% | 14% | 47% | 68% |
| Physics | 28 | 16% | 23% | 11% | 46% | 54% |
| Art and Design | 25 | 15% | 7% | 16% | 24% | 64% |
| Religious Studies | 18 | 10% | 31% | 11% | 32% | 67% |
| Computer Science | 14 | 8% | 13% | 7% | 30% | 43% |
| Drama | 12 | 7% | 7% | 0% | 27% | 58% |
| Polish | 2 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Geography | 2 | 1% | 41% | — | 25% | — |
| German | 1 | 1% | 5% | — | 33% | — |
| Citizenship Studies | 1 | 1% | 3% | — | 19% | — |
| Fine Art | 1 | 1% | 9% | — | 28% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Studies | 41 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 32 | 100% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 29 | 100% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 21 | 75% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 13 | 46% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Lift Greenwood | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 30 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 28 | 4,724 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | D | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 19.33 | 34.88 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | D | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 0% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 15 | 54% | 17% |
| Psychology | 10 | 36% | 23% |
| Mathematics | 9 | 32% | 31% |
| Biology | 9 | 32% | 20% |
| Sociology | 7 | 25% | 13% |
| English Language | 6 | 21% | 4% |
| Physics | 6 | 21% | 12% |
| Law | — | — | 4% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance / Accounting (General) | VRQ Level 3 | 12 | 43% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 8 | 29% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Business 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.