Light Hall School

Light Hall School has shown considerable improvement since its last inspection, moving from a 'Requires Improvement' rating to 'Good' across all key areas, including the quality of education, behaviour, personal development, and leadership. The school’s motto, 'The best from everyone, all of the time,' reflects a positive and engaging environment where pupils enjoy their learning and feel safe. The curriculum has been redesigned and is effectively supporting pupils' personal growth, with teachers actively working to enhance the quality of education provided. Parents appreciate the welcoming atmosphere and the effective support their children receive, particularly in adapting to changes during the pandemic.

Strengths

• Improved quality of education since last inspection
• Positive and engaging learning environment
• Strong support for pupils' personal development
• Effective management of behaviour and bullying
• Commitment to enhancing literacy skills for all pupils
• Strong culture of safeguarding within the school

Areas for Improvement

• Variations in progress across different subjects from the new curriculum
• Attendance rates not yet back to pre-pandemic levels
• Limited reading outside of school among pupils

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 Light Hall School attended 92.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 20.0% 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, 4.5% of pupils at Light Hall School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 7 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 Light Hall School had 15.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.4% 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, 12.9% of pupils at Light Hall School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.4% 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 2024–25 Light Hall School received £8,227 and spent £8,243 for each of its 1,027 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,091,000 (£1,062 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is Light Hall School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Light Hall School is Good, from an inspection in November 2021.

When was Light Hall School last inspected by Ofsted?

Light Hall School was last inspected in November 2021.

How many pupils does Light Hall School have?

Light Hall School has 1,037 pupils on roll.

What age range does Light Hall School cover?

Light Hall School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Light Hall School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 52.0, and 54% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Light Hall School?

Light Hall School is at Hathaway Road, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 2PZ.