Kingsmead School

Kingsmead School is currently performing at a strong standard, with notable achievements in pupil progress and teaching quality. The school has effectively embedded high-quality teaching across all subjects, ensuring pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs, achieve well. Leaders have a clear overview of the curriculum and have put measures in place to improve areas like attendance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Overall, pupils express a strong sense of safety and support within the school environment, contributing to their positive learning experiences. Despite its successes, there are some concerns, particularly regarding the attendance of a specific group of disadvantaged pupils, which remains a focus for improvement. Additionally, while the personal development programme is commendable, some pupils are not fully grasping all aspects of it. The school is part of the John Taylor Multi Academy Trust, providing a supportive governance framework and additional resources for ongoing development.

Strengths

• Pupils progress very well through the curriculum.
• High-quality work demonstrates detailed understanding.
• Curriculum equips pupils with essential knowledge for the future.
• Effective support for early stages of reading.
• Inclusive culture prioritizes the needs of all pupils.
• Professional development ensures high standards of teaching.
• Strong careers education provides multiple opportunities for students.

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance for some disadvantaged pupils needs improvement.
• Not all pupils develop a secure understanding of the personal development curriculum.

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 Kingsmead School attended 91.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 24.2% 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, 5.5% of pupils at Kingsmead School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 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 Kingsmead School had 16.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.4% 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, 12.8% of pupils at Kingsmead School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.4% 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 Kingsmead School received £7,357 and spent £7,065 for each of its 1,429 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £875,000 (£612 per pupil).

Across all 20 schools of John Taylor Mat, income was £7,398 and spending £7,462 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 Cannock · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

Kingsmead School is part of John Taylor Mat, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Chase Terrace Academy Burntwood
• Rugeley John Taylor Rugeley
• Fradley Park Primary and Nursery School Lichfield
• Yoxall St Peter's CofE Primary School Burton-On-Trent
• Whittington Primary and Nursery School Lichfield
• All Saints Church of England Primary and Nursery School Burton-On-Trent
• Needwood CofE Primary School Burton-On-Trent
• John Taylor High School Burton-On-Trent
• Thomas Russell Infants School Burton-On-Trent
• All Saints CofE (C) Primary School Burton-On-Trent

What is Kingsmead School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Kingsmead School is Expected standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Kingsmead School last inspected by Ofsted?

Kingsmead School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Kingsmead School have?

Kingsmead School has 1,427 pupils on roll.

What age range does Kingsmead School cover?

Kingsmead School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Kingsmead School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 46.9, and 37% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Kingsmead School?

Kingsmead School is at KINGS AVENUE, HEDNESFORD, CANNOCK, STAFFORDSHIRE, WS12 1DH.