Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School demonstrates a strong standard of education, with leaders and staff fostering an environment of high expectations, mutual respect, and care. The school has made significant strides in improving attendance and behaviour, with pupils showing an eagerness to learn and actively participate in school life. Strong systems are in place for monitoring and supporting pupils, particularly those with additional needs, which has led to impressive outcomes in attendance and behaviour metrics. However, while the overall achievement of pupils is in line with national averages, there is a goal to ensure that all students, particularly those with high prior attainment, exceed these averages due to an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement.

Strengths

• Effective safeguarding culture ensuring pupils feel safe and supported.
• Strong emphasis on high attendance leading to improved rates.
• Impeccable pupil behaviour fostering a positive learning environment.
• Highly effective teaching strategies and staff training ensuring high-quality education.
• Inclusive practices that support the learning of all pupils, especially those with special educational needs.
• Inspirational leadership driving continuous improvement.
• Comprehensive personal development programs preparing pupils for life beyond school.
• Strong performance and support for disadvantaged pupils, who excel in English and mathematics.

Areas for Improvement

• Leaders' expectations for all pupils to exceed national averages are not yet fully realized.

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 Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School attended 91.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 27.8% 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, 8.6% of pupils at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 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 Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School had 15.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.2% 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, 16.9% of pupils at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.3% 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 Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School received £9,399 and spent £9,477 for each of its 796 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £166,000 (£209 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 Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School is Expected standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School last inspected by Ofsted?

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School have?

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School has 788 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School cover?

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.0, and 44% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School?

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School is at Old Oscott Hill, Kingstanding, Birmingham, West Midlands, B44 9SR.