Arrow Vale High School

Arrow Vale High School continues to uphold high standards following its previous outstanding inspection. The school promotes a strong culture of inclusivity and support among pupils, who appreciate the nurturing atmosphere and are keen to learn. There is a well-structured curriculum that focuses on essential knowledge while fostering students' personal development, evidenced by the leadership opportunities and extracurricular activities available. The dedication to safeguarding and well-being is apparent, with pupils feeling safe and valued within the school community. However, the school faces challenges in ensuring consistent academic outcomes across all subjects at the end of key stage 4. Although leadership has brought significant improvements in many areas, some teachers struggle with effectively assessing student understanding, which hampers the identification of knowledge gaps. Additionally, attendance remains an issue for some pupils, including disadvantaged groups, pointing to a need for further engagement strategies to enhance regular school participation.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious curriculum tailored for all pupils
• Strong emphasis on personal development and leadership opportunities
• Effective measures for identifying and supporting pupils with SEND
• Positive and inclusive atmosphere where pupils feel valued
• Strong culture of safeguarding and mental health awareness
• Pupils demonstrate a keen interest in their learning and attend enrichment clubs

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent use of assessments leading to gaps in pupils' knowledge
• Too many pupils, including disadvantaged and SEND students, miss school regularly

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 Arrow Vale High School attended 89.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 27.1% 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 Arrow Vale High School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 4 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 Arrow Vale High School had 16.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.1% 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 Arrow Vale High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.4% 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 Arrow Vale High School received £8,390 and spent £8,252 for each of its 859 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £219,000 (£255 per pupil).

Across all 14 schools of Central Region Schools Trust, income was £7,890 and spending £7,931 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

All schools in Redditch · Worcestershire local authority: places and applications

Arrow Vale High School is part of Central Region Schools Trust, which runs 14 schools. The nearest others:

• Matchborough First School Academy Redditch
• Ipsley CofE Middle School Redditch
• Arrow Valley First School Redditch
• Oak Hill First School Redditch
• Church Hill Middle School Redditch
• Abbeywood First School Redditch
• St Stephen's CofE First School Redditch
• Waseley Hills High School Birmingham
• Holyhead School Birmingham
• Oldbury Park Primary School Worcester

What is Arrow Vale High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Arrow Vale High School is Outstanding, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Arrow Vale High School last inspected by Ofsted?

Arrow Vale High School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Arrow Vale High School have?

Arrow Vale High School has 843 pupils on roll.

What age range does Arrow Vale High School cover?

Arrow Vale High School for pupils aged 13 to 18.

Where is Arrow Vale High School?

Arrow Vale High School is at Matchborough Way, Redditch, B98 0GF.