Barr Beacon School
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-18 |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Address | Old Hall Lane Aldridge Walsall West Midlands WS9 0RF |
| Phone | 01213666600 |
| Reference Number | 136885 |
Barr Beacon School is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in its recent Ofsted inspection. Students demonstrate exceptional behaviour and attitudes, evidenced by their strong relationships with staff and a commitment to learning. The school excels in providing a supportive and engaging environment, and leaders have emphasized a broad curriculum that includes a variety of extracurricular activities, ensuring all students, including those with special educational needs, are included and benefited. This is the school's first inspection in eight years, following a period of exemption from routine scrutiny, and it reflects a comprehensive evaluation of the school's current performance under the new inspection framework.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1501 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 49.3%
Girls: 50.7% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 21.9% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 7.1% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 23.8 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 144 | 113 | 257 |
| 8 | 102 | 166 | 268 |
| 9 | 126 | 125 | 251 |
| 10 | 131 | 124 | 255 |
| 11 | 137 | 124 | 261 |
| 12 | 45 | 48 | 93 |
| 13 | 55 | 61 | 116 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 50.3% |
| Indian | 19.5% |
| Pakistani | 7.8% |
| Caribbean | 4.9% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2.9% |
| African | 2.7% |
| White & Asian | 1.6% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.3% |
| White, Other | 1.2% |
| Chinese | 1.2% |
| Asian, Other | 1.2% |
| Unclassified | 0.9% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.4% |
| Irish | 0.2% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| > Sixth Form Provision | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 22 Nov 2022 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 22 Nov 2022 | School inspection: |
| 09 Jan 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 14 Feb 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 12 Jan 2011 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as Barr Beacon Language College | |
| 12 Jan 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 13 Jan 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 13 Jan 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 16 Apr 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 16 Apr 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 29 Nov 2007 | Monitoring visit |
| 29 Nov 2007 | Monitoring visit |
| 20 Feb 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 20 Feb 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 04 Nov 2002 | Full inspection |
| 04 Nov 2002 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes among students.
- Exceptional personal development support for all pupils.
- Strong relationships between students and staff.
- Ambitious and broad curriculum with a focus on the English Baccalaureate.
- High-quality extra-curricular activities that engage nearly all pupils.
- Effective career advice and support for students preparing for their future.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistency in teachers adapting lessons based on pupil understanding.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 51 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 62.1% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 72% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
UnlockPoints
| Points | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Points | 33.06 | ||
| Average Points (best 3) | 33.79 |
Grades
| School | Local | Nationwide | |
| Average Grade | C+ | C | C+ |
| Average Grade (best 3) | C+ | C+ | C+ |
| Percentage | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students getting AAB or better | 9.8% |
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 316 | 15 |
| Third Preference | 227 | 7 |
| From another Local Authority | 516 | 95 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
Pheasey Park Farm Primary School and Early Years Centre
Wimperis Way, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B43 7DH |
0.41 miles |
|
Meadow View Academy
Frampton Way, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B43 7UJ |
0.64 miles |
|
Sundridge Primary School
Sundridge Road, Kingstanding, Birmingham, West Midlands, B44 9NY |
0.87 miles |
|
St Margaret's CofE Primary School
Birmingham Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B43 7AP |
0.92 miles |
|
Whitecrest Primary School
Whitecrest, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B43 6HQ |
0.98 miles |
|
Lindens Academy
Hundred Acre Road, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 2BB |
1.2 miles |
|
Kingsland Primary School (NC)
Bandywood Crescent, Birmingham, B44 9NA |
1.22 miles |
|
Barr View Primary & Nursery Academy
Aldridge Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B44 8NT |
1.34 miles |
|
Holy Name Catholic Primary School
Cross Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B43 6LN |
1.38 miles |
|
Calshot Primary School
Calshot Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B42 2BY |
1.39 miles |
|
Maryvale Catholic Primary School
Old Oscott Hill, Kingstanding, Birmingham, West Midlands, B44 9AG |
1.41 miles |
|
Blackwood School
Blackwood Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 3PH |
1.54 miles |
|
St Anne's Catholic Primary School, Streetly
Blackwood Road, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 3PL |
1.55 miles |
|
Beeches Junior School
Beeches Junior School, Beeches Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B42 2PY |
1.55 miles |
|
Beeches Infant School
Beeches Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B42 2PY |
1.55 miles |
|
Glenmead Primary School
Glenmead Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B44 8UQ |
1.58 miles |
|
Park Hall Junior Academy
Park Hall Road, Walsall, West Midlands, WS5 3HF |
1.59 miles |
|
Perry Beeches Nursery School
256 Beeches Road, Birmingham, B42 2PX |
1.62 miles |
|
Park Hall Infant Academy
Park Hall Road, Walsall, West Midlands, WS5 3HF |
1.64 miles |
|
Sutton Park Primary
Coppice View Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B73 6UE |
1.64 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Fortis Academy
Aldridge Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B44 8NU |
1.25 miles |
|
Q3 Academy Great Barr
Wilderness Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B43 7SD |
1.43 miles |
|
Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School
Old Oscott Hill, Kingstanding, Birmingham, West Midlands, B44 9SR |
1.45 miles |
|
The Streetly Academy
Queslett Road East, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 2EX |
1.48 miles |
|
Arena Academy
Beeches Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B42 2PY |
1.54 miles |
|
Priestley Smith School
Perry Beeches Campus, Beeches Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B42 2PY |
1.55 miles |
|
Aspire AP School 2
70 Raglan Road, Smethwick, B66 3ND |
1.65 miles |
|
Queen Mary's Grammar School
Sutton Road, Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 2PG |
2.4 miles |
|
Aldridge School - A Science College
Tynings Lane, Aldridge, Walsall, West Midlands, WS9 0BG |
2.47 miles |
|
Hamstead Hall Academy
Craythorne Avenue, Handsworth Wood, Birmingham, West Midlands, B20 1HL |
2.49 miles |
|
St Francis of Assisi Catholic College
Erdington Road, Aldridge, Walsall, West Midlands, WS9 0RN |
2.51 miles |
|
E-ACT North Birmingham Academy
395 College Road, Erdington, Birmingham, West Midlands, B44 0HF |
2.51 miles |
|
Joseph Leckie Academy
Walstead Road West, Walsall, West Midlands, WS5 4PG |
2.77 miles |
|
Blue Coat Church of England Academy
Birmingham Street, Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 2ND |
2.84 miles |
|
Wilson Stuart School
Perry Common Road, Erdington, Birmingham, West Midlands, B23 7AT |
2.88 miles |
|
Hydesville Tower School
25, Broadway North, Walsall, W. Midlands, WS1 2QG |
2.89 miles |
|
Abu Bakr Boys School
154-156 Wednesbury Road, Walsall, WS1 4JJ |
2.98 miles |
|
Prince Albert High School
115 Holford Drive, Perry Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B42 2TU |
3 miles |
|
Cherry Tree School
72 Queen Mary Street, Palfrey, Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 4AB |
3.03 miles |
|
Walsall Studio School
14a Lower Hall Lane, The Goldmine Centre, Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 1RL |
3.12 miles |