Tile Cross Academy

Tile Cross Academy has shown significant improvement since its previous inspection, successfully transitioning from a school that required improvement to one that is now rated as good. Pupils appreciate the positive changes, reporting high expectations, good behavior, and a supportive environment that respects diverse backgrounds. The school implements strong behavioral and attendance policies that, while showing positive results, still require ongoing efforts to address a minority of persistent issues. The curriculum has been thoroughly revised to better align with pupil needs and examination outcomes, and there is a strong commitment to supporting pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Extra-curricular opportunities and a well-structured personal development program further enrich pupil experience, highlighting achievements in community engagement and career preparation. Overall, the leadership team and trust show ambition for the school’s future, underpinned by a comprehensive understanding of its progress.

Strengths

• Strong improvements in pupil behavior and expectations
• Inclusive and respectful environment for diverse backgrounds
• Effective curriculum revisions tailored to pupil needs
• Robust support for pupils with SEND
• Well-structured personal development program
• Strong extracurricular opportunities
• Positive staff morale and collaborative culture
• Effective work with disadvantaged pupils to ensure equal participation

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils struggle with consistently meeting behavior expectations
• A minority of pupils have higher levels of absence and poor punctuality
• Assessment occasionally lacks precision, allowing learning gaps to persist

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 Tile Cross Academy attended 89.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 38.5% 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, 9.5% of pupils at Tile Cross Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 11 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 Tile Cross Academy had 15.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.4% 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, 21.3% of pupils at Tile Cross Academy 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 Tile Cross Academy received £10,355 and spent £9,354 for each of its 632 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £670,000 (£1,060 per pupil).

Across all 7 schools of Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust, income was £9,233 and spending £8,951 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

Tile Cross Academy is part of Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• Gossey Lane Academy Birmingham
• Timberley Academy Birmingham
• Brownmead Primary Academy Birmingham
• Firs Primary School Birmingham
• Washwood Heath Academy Birmingham
• Saltley Academy Birmingham
• Topcliffe Primary School Birmingham

What is Tile Cross Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Tile Cross Academy is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Tile Cross Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Tile Cross Academy was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Tile Cross Academy have?

Tile Cross Academy has 620 pupils on roll.

What age range does Tile Cross Academy cover?

Tile Cross Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Tile Cross Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 36.7, and 29% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Tile Cross Academy?

Tile Cross Academy is at Gressel Lane, Tile Cross, Birmingham, West Midlands, B33 9UF.