St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall

St Thomas More Catholic School in Willenhall has demonstrated a good level of overall effectiveness according to its latest inspection. The school fosters a welcoming community where pupils feel safe and valued. The headteacher's approachable demeanor and the school's strong Catholic ethos contribute to a nurturing environment. Although the quality of education is generally robust, with teachers displaying strong subject knowledge, there remain inconsistencies in how effectively new teaching methods are applied across all classes, which impacts pupil progress. Attendance and punctuality were identified as significant areas for improvement, with many pupils not attending regularly enough.

Strengths

• Pupils are part of a warm and welcoming community.
• The school has a caring ethos, with leaders ambitious for their pupils.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge and employ effective strategies to help pupils learn.
• Behaviour in lessons is good, with pupils settling quickly and showing respect.
• The sixth form provides a variety of pathways to suit students' abilities and interests.
• Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their spiritual beliefs and engage with diverse perspectives.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough.
• Too many pupils are late for school.
• Interventions to support reading are not focused enough on specific needs.
• Inconsistencies exist in teaching that do not adequately address gaps in knowledge.

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 St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall attended 90.3% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 28.1% 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, 8.3% of pupils at St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No 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 St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall had 15.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.4% 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, 7.9% of pupils at St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.0% 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 St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall received £8,502 and spent £8,592 for each of its 1,470 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £846,000 (£575 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 Willenhall · Walsall local authority: places and applications

What is St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.

When was St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall last inspected by Ofsted?

St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall was last inspected in November 2022.

How many pupils does St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall have?

St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall has 1,464 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall cover?

St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 40.7, and 36% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall?

St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall is at Darlaston Lane, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV14 7BL.