WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull)

WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) is a 14-19 university technical college within the WMG Academy for Young Engineers Trust. Pupils enjoy the school’s engineering focus and employer links, and personal development and sixth-form provision are notable strengths. Careers education is particularly strong, with positive destinations into apprenticeships, university and employment, and safeguarding is effective. However, the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management are not yet good enough. The curriculum is being reviewed but remains inconsistent across subjects: key knowledge and sequencing are not clearly defined, assessment is uneven, and support for pupils with SEND is not applied systematically. Attendance is a significant concern for too many pupils, and behaviour management is inconsistent, with some pupils disengaging or lacking resilience. Leaders have adopted a more strategic approach to attendance and are refining it, but evaluation of the impact of their work lacks precision. The sixth form is stronger, with more secure curriculum sequencing and assessment. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic. It did not receive an overall effectiveness grade under the current inspection framework.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy the academy’s engineering focus and links with local employers.
• Personal development provision is strong, covering healthy relationships, British values, safety and health.
• Careers information, advice and guidance are significant strengths, supporting positive destinations.
• Sixth-form curriculum sequencing and assessment are more secure than at key stage 4.
• A wide range of subjects aligns with the UTC’s engineering mission.
• Extra-curricular opportunities, including 3D modelling and women into engineering events, are valued by pupils.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Staff report that leaders are mindful of workload and value professional development opportunities.
• Governors are committed to the school’s mission and offer appropriate challenge and support.
• Most pupils behave well, and parents speak positively about opportunities and employer links.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum content and sequencing are inconsistent across subjects, making it harder for pupils to build on prior learning.
• Assessment and checking of pupils’ understanding are inconsistent, so misconceptions and gaps persist.
• Information about adapting the curriculum for pupils with SEND is not used systematically, so these pupils do not achieve as well as they should.
• Attendance remains too low for too many pupils.
• Behaviour management is inconsistent, and some pupils disengage or lack resilience in class.
• Leaders’ evaluation of the impact of their work lacks precision, limiting oversight and next steps.
• Monitoring of vulnerable pupils’ attendance does not always provide a complete picture of their well-being during absence.
• Some pupils find it harder to meet the school’s expectations or consistently work to the best of their ability.

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 WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) attended 86.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 40.7% 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, 12.2% of pupils at WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 5 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 WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) had 13.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 38.6% 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, 19.3% of pupils at WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.3% 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 WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) received £10,086 and spent £9,716 for each of its 419 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £818,000 (£1,952 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of Wmg Academy for Young Engineers, income was £8,992 and spending £8,786 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 · Solihull local authority: places and applications

WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) is part of Wmg Academy for Young Engineers, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• WMG Academy for Young Engineers Coventry

What is WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull)'s Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) last inspected by Ofsted?

WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) have?

WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) has 394 pupils on roll.

What age range does WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) cover?

WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) for pupils aged 14 to 19.

Where is WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull)?

WMG Academy for Young Engineers (Solihull) is at Chelmsley Road, Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham, B37 5FD.