The Royal School, Wolverhampton

The Royal School in Wolverhampton has effectively upheld the standards from its previous inspection, reflecting positive performance and a commitment to educational excellence. The school fosters a welcoming environment where pupils from diverse backgrounds engage actively and feel proud of their community. With a comprehensive curriculum and strong support systems, students receive the guidance needed to excel academically, with increasing interest in language studies and ambitious educational pathways. The school's approach to personal development is commendable, offering numerous extracurricular opportunities that enhance student experiences and prepare them for future endeavors.

Strengths

• Wide range of opportunities for all pupils
• Strong support from teachers enhancing student success
• Ambitious and well-structured curriculum
• High levels of pupil attendance
• Effective provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)
• Extensive personal development and extracurricular activities

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in teaching can hinder some pupils' learning
• Some vulnerable pupils struggle with behavior expectations leading to suspensions

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 The Royal School, Wolverhampton attended 94.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 12.1% 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, 5.2% of pupils at The Royal School, Wolverhampton were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 6 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 The Royal School, Wolverhampton had 18.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.8% 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, 12.2% of pupils at The Royal School, Wolverhampton were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.4% 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 The Royal School, Wolverhampton received £8,510 and spent £8,685 for each of its 1,510 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £1,028,000 (-£681 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 Wolverhampton · Wolverhampton local authority: places and applications

What is The Royal School, Wolverhampton's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Royal School, Wolverhampton is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was The Royal School, Wolverhampton last inspected by Ofsted?

The Royal School, Wolverhampton was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does The Royal School, Wolverhampton have?

The Royal School, Wolverhampton has 1,488 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Royal School, Wolverhampton cover?

The Royal School, Wolverhampton for pupils aged 4 to 19.

What are The Royal School, Wolverhampton's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 45.7, and 46% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are The Royal School, Wolverhampton's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 52% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Royal School, Wolverhampton?

The Royal School, Wolverhampton is at Penn Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV3 0EG.