Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,152 pupils
81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.7
Academy converter
St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,193of 1,239 places
- Free school meals
- 48.4%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 190
- Ofsted
- School remains Good, 2 May 2024Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School (URN 103533, until 1 March 2015).
What the data says
Of the 207 pupils who finished Year 11 at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in 2023, 34% stayed on in St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School’s own sixth form (Birmingham average 33%), 51% went to a further education college and 1% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 51 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 75% went to university (Birmingham 46%, England 37%), and 18% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Religious Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 97% of the year group took it, against 31% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 49.9 against 46.1 across England and 46.6 in Birmingham, with 50% 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 | 207 | 14,526 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 90% | 90% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 86% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 34% | 33% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 1% | 13% | 13% |
| — further education college | 51% | 39% | 37% |
| — other education | — | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 1% | 3% |
| Employment | 2% | 1% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 7% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 3% | 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 | 51 | 10,326 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 94% | 75% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 75% | 46% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 18% | 28% | 19% |
| Further education | 0% | 7% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 4% | 7% |
| Employment | 20% | 17% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 2% | 18% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 49.9 | 46.6 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 50% | 45% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 68% | 64% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 47% | 48% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.27 | 4.15 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 50% | 48% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 43.8 | 40.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 55.9 | 52.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 26% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 188 | 99% | 88% | 26% | 22% | 74% |
| English Language | 188 | 99% | 89% | 23% | 20% | 79% |
| Religious Studies | 184 | 97% | 31% | 33% | 32% | 75% |
| English Literature | 181 | 95% | 86% | 20% | 21% | 80% |
| Combined Science | 124 | 65% | 65% | 5% | 9% | 63% |
| Geography | 86 | 45% | 41% | 19% | 25% | 63% |
| French | 79 | 42% | 18% | 15% | 29% | 61% |
| History | 78 | 41% | 41% | 18% | 26% | 60% |
| Biology | 63 | 33% | 23% | 41% | 45% | 94% |
| Physics | 62 | 33% | 23% | 35% | 46% | 95% |
| Chemistry | 61 | 32% | 23% | 43% | 47% | 95% |
| Business Studies | 44 | 23% | 18% | 16% | 20% | 64% |
| Fine Art | 42 | 22% | 9% | 31% | 28% | 93% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 34 | 18% | 8% | 18% | 21% | 79% |
| Physical Education | 27 | 14% | 11% | 7% | 24% | 74% |
| Media Studies | 25 | 13% | 4% | 4% | 20% | 40% |
| Computer Science | 25 | 13% | 13% | 36% | 30% | 76% |
| 3D Design | 23 | 12% | 2% | 30% | 16% | 100% |
| German | 21 | 11% | 5% | 19% | 33% | 81% |
| Textiles | 21 | 11% | 2% | 57% | 27% | 100% |
| Photography | 18 | 9% | 6% | 39% | 19% | 100% |
| Drama | 15 | 8% | 7% | 0% | 27% | 53% |
| Chinese | 8 | 4% | 1% | 100% | 75% | 100% |
| Persian | 3 | 2% | 0% | — | 77% | — |
| Spanish | 3 | 2% | 19% | — | 27% | — |
| Arabic | 1 | 1% | 1% | — | 47% | — |
| Citizenship Studies | 1 | 1% | 3% | — | 19% | — |
| Portuguese | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
| Polish | 1 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Studies | 83 | 100% | — |
| Sports Studies | 37 | 69% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 19 | 35% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 13 | 24% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 1 | 2% | — |
| Building / Construction Operations (General / Combined) | 1 | 2% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 172 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 54 | 4,724 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 34.92 | 34.88 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 16% | 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 | 24 | 44% | 31% |
| Biology | 16 | 30% | 20% |
| Physics | 15 | 28% | 12% |
| Chemistry | 12 | 22% | 17% |
| English Language and Literature | 9 | 17% | 2% |
| Religious Studies | 9 | 17% | 4% |
| Further Mathematics | 8 | 15% | 5% |
| 3D Design | 7 | 13% | 1% |
| Psychology | 7 | 13% | 23% |
| Media Studies | 6 | 11% | 4% |
| Textiles | — | — | 1% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Geography | — | — | 10% |
| Physical Education | — | — | 3% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 13 | 24% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 12 | 22% | — |
| Applied Sciences | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 8 | 15% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Birmingham
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Ark Kings Academy
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Ark St Alban's Academy
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Ark Victoria Academy
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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.