Wheelers Lane Technology College

Wheelers Lane Technology College is performing exceptionally well. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2014; the school had previously been exempt after an outstanding judgment, and it has seen significant leadership and staffing changes, including a new headteacher appointed in September 2023. Inspectors found an overwhelmingly positive community ethos, strong staff-pupil relationships and consistently exemplary behaviour, with pupils achieving exceptionally well in a calm and purposeful environment. The curriculum is highly ambitious and rigorous, with a clear focus on helping pupils remember key knowledge. Teachers check understanding and adapt effectively, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified quickly, and targeted reading support helps pupils who are less confident. Attendance is excellent, personal development is a major strength, and pupils benefit from extensive enrichment and leadership opportunities. Leadership and governance are strong, safeguarding is effective, and staff are well supported with workload, wellbeing and professional development. No areas for improvement were identified in the report, and the school was judged outstanding in each key area.

Strengths

• Exceptional leadership across the school
• Highly ambitious and rigorous curriculum for all pupils
• Strong, supportive relationships between pupils and staff
• Effective focus on helping pupils remember key knowledge
• Teachers routinely check understanding and adapt learning successfully
• Quick identification of SEND needs and effective use of pupil profiles
• Targeted support for pupils who are less confident readers
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and highly positive attitudes to learning
• Excellent attendance with robust systems for absent pupils
• Personal development is a major strength, with extensive enrichment opportunities
• Strong governance and effective safeguarding arrangements
• Comprehensive professional development and support for staff workload and wellbeing

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Wheelers Lane Technology College attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 18.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 9.5% of pupils at Wheelers Lane Technology College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Wheelers Lane Technology College had 16.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 2.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 23.2% of pupils at Wheelers Lane Technology College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Wheelers Lane Technology College received £9,158 and spent £9,836 for each of its 674 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,124,000 (£1,667 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Birmingham · Birmingham local authority: places and applications

What is Wheelers Lane Technology College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Wheelers Lane Technology College is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Wheelers Lane Technology College last inspected by Ofsted?

Wheelers Lane Technology College was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Wheelers Lane Technology College have?

Wheelers Lane Technology College has 672 pupils on roll.

What age range does Wheelers Lane Technology College cover?

Wheelers Lane Technology College for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Wheelers Lane Technology College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.2, and 57% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Wheelers Lane Technology College?

Wheelers Lane Technology College is at Wheelers Lane, Kings Heath, Birmingham, West Midlands, B13 0SF.