Waverley Studio College

Waverley Studio College continues to perform well as a good school, with notable improvements since the new principal's appointment in January 2021. Pupils enjoy attending school and participate actively in their lessons, benefitting from a curriculum that accommodates their individual needs, especially for those learning English as an additional language. The school provides a supportive environment, helping pupils, including many new arrivals and those with special educational needs, to thrive academically and socially. However, there are areas for growth, particularly in broadening subject options for academically strong new arrivals and enhancing the effectiveness of less experienced teachers.

Strengths

• Pupils show enthusiasm and enjoy coming to school.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well-adapted to students' diverse needs.
• Strong focus on vocational education and career preparation.
• Good support for pupils with SEND and those at early stages of learning English.
• Positive student behavior and cooperative environment.
• Effective leadership has brought stability and positive changes.

Areas for Improvement

• Limited subject options in Year 10 for academically strong new arrivals.
• Less experienced teachers sometimes struggle to adapt learning effectively.

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 Waverley Studio College attended 78.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 54.9% 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, 15.9% of pupils at Waverley Studio College 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 Waverley Studio College had 12.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.7% 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, 33.6% of pupils at Waverley Studio College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 0.4% 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 Waverley Studio College received £8,949 and spent £8,463 for each of its 257 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £783,000 (£3,047 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of The Waverley Education Foundation Ltd, income was £8,986 and spending £8,426 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

Waverley Studio College is part of The Waverley Education Foundation Ltd, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• Waverley School Birmingham

What is Waverley Studio College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Waverley Studio College is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.

When was Waverley Studio College last inspected by Ofsted?

Waverley Studio College was last inspected in November 2022.

How many pupils does Waverley Studio College have?

Waverley Studio College has 223 pupils on roll.

What age range does Waverley Studio College cover?

Waverley Studio College for pupils aged 14 to 19.

Where is Waverley Studio College?

Waverley Studio College is at 470 Belchers Lane, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, B9 5SX.