Ormiston SWB Academy

Ormiston SWB Academy is a larger-than-average secondary school in a deprived area, with a well-above-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. It is part of the Ormiston Academy Trust. Inspectors found safeguarding standards met and judged the school to be performing securely overall, with attendance and behaviour reaching a strong standard and the other inspected areas at the expected standard. Pupils flourish in a calm, inclusive and aspirational culture, and leaders have created a school where pupils behave exceptionally well, attend better over time, and receive strong care and support. The school's main strengths are its highly effective attendance work, exemplary pupil behaviour, inclusive ethos, and extensive personal development and pastoral support. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND generally progress well, and the curriculum is well planned and delivered consistently. Leaders, trustees and staff work closely together, and sixth-form students are well prepared for their next steps. However, teaching and assessment are not always precise enough to identify and address gaps for some pupils, particularly a very small number with highly individual barriers to learning. Sixth-form examination results have also been inconsistent over time, and recent key stage 4 destinations have been below national averages, although current students are achieving well.

Strengths

• Highly effective attendance strategies, including 'rank order' and the 'Oasis Centre', have reduced persistent absence and improved attendance.
• Pupils' behaviour in lessons and around school is exemplary, with rare bullying or discriminatory behaviour.
• Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, receive exceptional care and support and flourish in a culture of high expectations.
• A well-planned and sequenced curriculum is delivered consistently by teachers with secure subject knowledge.
• The school has a highly inclusive culture and identifies and addresses most pupils' needs quickly.
• The 'Pupil Support Unit' and 'Oasis Centre' provide highly personalised support for pupils with significant barriers.
• The 'CORE' personal development curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain and offers wide enrichment.
• High-quality PSHE and careers programmes help pupils understand risks and secure ambitious destinations.
• Sixth-form students benefit from effective teaching, careful feedback, strong pastoral support and good preparation for next steps.
• Leaders and trustees have a clear understanding of school priorities, and staff feel proud and well supported.

Areas for Improvement

• Teachers do not always identify gaps and barriers in pupils' learning precisely enough, so gaps in some pupils' knowledge can persist.
• For a very few pupils with highly individual barriers, teaching adaptations are not precise enough to provide the support they need.
• For a small minority of pupils, strategies suggested by leaders lack precision, limiting the progress they make.
• Sixth-form external examination results have not been as consistent as leaders intend, and A-level value added has been below national.
• Destinations after key stage 4 have been below national averages in recent years.
• Leaders should continue to refine teaching and assessment so all pupils deepen their knowledge and understanding as they move through the 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 Ormiston SWB Academy attended 91.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 25.1% 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, 4.5% of pupils at Ormiston SWB Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 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 Ormiston SWB Academy had 15.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.8% 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, 17.0% of pupils at Ormiston SWB Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.6% 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 Ormiston SWB Academy received £9,720 and spent £8,954 for each of its 1,177 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £889,000 (£755 per pupil).

Across all 40 schools of Ormiston Academies Trust, income was £8,888 and spending £8,698 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 Bilston · Wolverhampton local authority: places and applications

Ormiston SWB Academy is part of Ormiston Academies Trust, which runs 41 schools. The nearest others:

• Wodensborough Ormiston Academy Wednesbury
• George Salter Academy West Bromwich
• Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy Oldbury
• Ormiston NEW Academy Wolverhampton
• Ormiston Forge Academy Cradley Heath
• Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy Walsall
• Brownhills Ormiston Academy Walsall
• Tenbury High Ormiston Academy Tenbury Wells
• Ormiston Meridian Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy Stoke-On-Trent

What is Ormiston SWB Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ormiston SWB Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Ormiston SWB Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Ormiston SWB Academy was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Ormiston SWB Academy have?

Ormiston SWB Academy has 1,209 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ormiston SWB Academy cover?

Ormiston SWB Academy for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are Ormiston SWB Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 40.3, and 33% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Ormiston SWB Academy?

Ormiston SWB Academy is at Dudley Street, Bilston, WV14 0LN.