Nishkam High School

Nishkam High School is performing at an exceptionally high level. Inspectors found a highly inclusive Sikh-ethos academy where pupils feel accepted, behave exceptionally well and achieve very highly, including in the sixth form. The curriculum is strongly sequenced around academic GCSE subjects and adapted effectively for pupils with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, with accurate early identification and strong reading support. Attendance is high, safeguarding is effective, and personal development is promoted extensively through lessons, reflection, extracurricular activities and leadership roles. This was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first since 2014. Leaders have very high ambitions, staff workload is considered carefully, and governance is mindful of leaders' well-being. Inspectors identified no significant areas for improvement; the report highlights consistent strength across education, behaviour, personal development, leadership and sixth-form provision.

Strengths

• Highly inclusive Sikh-ethos school where pupils from all faiths and backgrounds feel accepted
• Very high academic achievement, including strong GCSE outcomes and sixth-form success
• Well-sequenced curriculum rooted in English Baccalaureate subjects
• Excellent subject knowledge among teachers, with teaching aligned to specialisms
• Effective support for pupils at early stages of reading
• Strong SEND and EAL provision with accurate early identification
• High attendance, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND
• Exceptional pupil behaviour and a consistently applied behaviour policy
• Bullying is rare and dealt with swiftly
• Personal development promoted exceptionally well through subjects, reflection and extracurricular opportunities
• Strong careers information and extensive sixth-form work experience
• Effective safeguarding arrangements and a positive safeguarding culture
• Leaders are mindful of staff workload and governance supports well-being

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 Nishkam High School attended 94.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 12.6% 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, 6.9% of pupils at Nishkam High School 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 Nishkam High School had 15.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.0% 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, 9.4% of pupils at Nishkam High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.9% 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 Nishkam High School received £8,643 and spent £8,435 for each of its 671 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,737,000 (£2,588 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of Nishkam Schools Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,425 and spending £7,421 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 Birmingham · Birmingham local authority: places and applications

Nishkam High School is part of Nishkam Schools Multi Academy Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• Nishkam Primary School Birmingham Birmingham
• Nishkam Primary School Wolverhampton Wolverhampton
• Akaal Primary School Derby
• Primley Wood Primary School Leeds
• Nishkam School West London Osterley

What is Nishkam High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Nishkam High School is Outstanding, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Nishkam High School last inspected by Ofsted?

Nishkam High School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Nishkam High School have?

Nishkam High School has 668 pupils on roll.

What age range does Nishkam High School cover?

Nishkam High School for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are Nishkam High School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 52.0, and 56% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Nishkam High School?

Nishkam High School is at Great King Street North, Birmingham, West Midlands, B19 2LF.