Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,152 pupils
81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.7
Voluntary aided school
Bishop Challoner Catholic College
- Pupils on roll
- 1,184of 1,304 places
- Free school meals
- 38.1%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 191
- Ofsted
- Report card, 6 January 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Expected standardAchievement Expected standardAttendance and behaviour Strong standardPersonal development and wellbeing Strong standardInclusion Expected standardLeadership and governance Strong standardPost-16 provision Expected standardSafeguarding Met
What the data says
Of the 192 pupils who finished Year 11 at Bishop Challoner Catholic College in 2023, 58% stayed on in Bishop Challoner Catholic College’s own sixth form (Birmingham average 33%), 29% went to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 130 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 62% went to university (Birmingham 46%, England 37%), and 24% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Media Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 21% of the year group took it, against 4% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 48.4 against 46.1 across England and 46.6 in Birmingham, with 53% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Birmingham and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 192 | 14,526 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 91% | 90% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 88% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 58% | 33% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 1% | 13% | 13% |
| — further education college | 29% | 39% | 37% |
| — other education | 0% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 1% | 3% |
| Employment | 1% | 1% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 5% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 4% | 4% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 130 | 10,326 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 88% | 75% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 62% | 46% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 24% | 28% | 19% |
| Further education | 2% | 7% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 4% | 7% |
| Employment | 18% | 17% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 8% | 18% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 48.4 | 46.6 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 53% | 45% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 69% | 64% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 55% | 48% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.33 | 4.15 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 38% | 48% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 41.4 | 40.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 52.8 | 52.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 19% | 39% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 188 | 98% | 88% | 19% | 22% | 74% |
| English Language | 186 | 97% | 89% | 22% | 20% | 75% |
| English Literature | 184 | 96% | 86% | 24% | 21% | 80% |
| Religious Studies | 178 | 93% | 31% | 33% | 32% | 74% |
| Combined Science | 125 | 65% | 65% | 1% | 9% | 47% |
| History | 105 | 55% | 41% | 31% | 26% | 63% |
| French | 97 | 51% | 18% | 19% | 29% | 82% |
| Geography | 77 | 40% | 41% | 18% | 25% | 73% |
| Biology | 63 | 33% | 23% | 38% | 45% | 95% |
| Physics | 63 | 33% | 23% | 32% | 46% | 92% |
| Chemistry | 61 | 32% | 23% | 36% | 47% | 87% |
| Media Studies | 40 | 21% | 4% | 13% | 20% | 70% |
| Computer Science | 38 | 20% | 13% | 37% | 30% | 79% |
| Fine Art | 33 | 17% | 9% | 36% | 28% | 94% |
| Business Studies | 24 | 13% | 18% | 17% | 20% | 67% |
| Design and Technology | 22 | 12% | 11% | 14% | 23% | 45% |
| Physical Education | 14 | 7% | 11% | 50% | 24% | 100% |
| Polish | 10 | 5% | 1% | 70% | 84% | 100% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 4 | 2% | 8% | — | 21% | — |
| Spanish | 4 | 2% | 19% | — | 27% | — |
| Sociology | 3 | 2% | 4% | — | 21% | — |
| Music | 2 | 1% | 5% | — | 33% | — |
| Arabic | 2 | 1% | 1% | — | 47% | — |
| Russian | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
| Chinese | 1 | 1% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
| Art and Design | 1 | 1% | 7% | — | 24% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Management | 56 | 46% | — |
| Sports Studies | 39 | 32% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 33 | 27% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 26 | 21% | — |
| Health Studies | 24 | 20% | — |
| Health Studies | 1 | 1% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 1 | 1% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 252 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 121 | 4,724 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 31.50 | 34.88 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 12% | 22% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 37 | 31% | 31% |
| Biology | 33 | 27% | 20% |
| Geography | 27 | 22% | 10% |
| English Literature | 25 | 21% | 11% |
| Chemistry | 22 | 18% | 17% |
| Economics | 20 | 17% | 13% |
| Media Studies | 19 | 16% | 4% |
| Law | 19 | 16% | 4% |
| Computer Science | 19 | 16% | 5% |
| Business Studies | 18 | 15% | 13% |
| History | 16 | 13% | 13% |
| Psychology | 11 | 9% | 23% |
| Physics | 11 | 9% | 12% |
| Fine Art | 10 | 8% | 3% |
| Religious Studies | 10 | 8% | 4% |
| Sociology | 7 | 6% | 13% |
| Physical Education | 6 | 5% | 3% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
| Polish | — | — | 0% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 18 | 15% | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 16 | 13% | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 14 | 12% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 8 | 7% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 7 | 6% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 7 | 6% | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | 7 | 6% | — |
| Chemistry | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Chemistry | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Birmingham
Arena Academy
Academy sponsor led · 969 pupils
89% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.5
Ark Boulton Academy
Academy sponsor led · 877 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.2
Ark Kings Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 739 pupils
72% stayed in education · Attainment 8 36.5
Ark St Alban's Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 797 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.9
Ark Victoria Academy
Free schools · 1,519 pupils
92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.4
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.