Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,152 pupils
81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.7
Academy sponsor led
E-ACT North Birmingham Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 1,167of 1,150 places
- Free school meals
- 60.3%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 173
- Ofsted
- Report card, 3 February 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Strong standardAchievement Expected standardAttendance and behaviour ExceptionalPersonal development and wellbeing Strong standardInclusion Strong standardLeadership and governance Strong standardPost-16 provision Expected standardSafeguarding Met
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The College High Specialist Arts School (URN 103488, until 4 January 2010).
What the data says
Of the 164 pupils who finished Year 11 at E-ACT North Birmingham Academy in 2023, 32% stayed on in E-ACT North Birmingham Academy’s own sixth form (Birmingham average 33%), 49% went to a further education college and 1% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 92 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 40% went to university (Birmingham 46%, England 37%), and 9% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Statistics is unusually popular at GCSE: 95% of the year group took it, against 5% of pupils across England.
A level grades average C-, well below the England average of B-; 8% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%). The largest A level subjects are Psychology, Sociology and Mathematics.
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 | 164 | 14,526 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 83% | 90% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 82% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 32% | 33% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 1% | 13% | 13% |
| — further education college | 49% | 39% | 37% |
| — other education | 0% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 1% | 3% |
| Employment | 1% | 1% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 10% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 7% | 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 | 92 | 10,326 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 78% | 75% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 40% | 46% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 9% | 28% | 19% |
| Further education | 16% | 7% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 4% | 7% |
| Employment | 13% | 17% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 16% | 18% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 43.9 | 46.6 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 41% | 45% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 63% | 64% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 14% | 48% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.61 | 4.15 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 54% | 48% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 39.9 | 40.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 48.5 | 52.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 30% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 173 | 100% | 89% | 16% | 20% | 72% |
| Mathematics | 173 | 100% | 88% | 10% | 22% | 65% |
| Combined Science | 166 | 96% | 65% | 10% | 9% | 60% |
| English Literature | 166 | 96% | 86% | 12% | 21% | 73% |
| Statistics | 165 | 95% | 5% | 4% | 20% | 55% |
| History | 86 | 50% | 41% | 6% | 26% | 60% |
| Geography | 40 | 23% | 41% | 25% | 25% | 73% |
| Computer Science | 38 | 22% | 13% | 13% | 30% | 50% |
| French | 24 | 14% | 18% | 38% | 29% | 88% |
| Religious Studies | 20 | 12% | 31% | 30% | 32% | 80% |
| Drama | 18 | 10% | 7% | 22% | 27% | 83% |
| Photography | 12 | 7% | 6% | 8% | 19% | 75% |
| Art and Design | 11 | 6% | 7% | 36% | 24% | 82% |
| Italian | 6 | 3% | 0% | 67% | 53% | 83% |
| Spanish | 4 | 2% | 19% | — | 27% | — |
| Citizenship Studies | 3 | 2% | 3% | — | 19% | — |
| Polish | 3 | 2% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Biology | 3 | 2% | 23% | — | 45% | — |
| Russian | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
| Persian | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 77% | — |
| Chemistry | 1 | 1% | 23% | — | 47% | — |
| Portuguese | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
| Urdu | 1 | 1% | 1% | — | 42% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Management | 58 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 39 | 89% | — |
| Sports Studies | 39 | 89% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 32 | 73% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 16 | 36% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 13 | 30% | — |
| Building / Construction Operations (General / Combined) | 13 | 30% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | This school | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 101 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 44 | 4,724 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C- | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 25.24 | 34.88 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C- | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 8% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 15 | 34% | 23% |
| Sociology | 15 | 34% | 13% |
| Mathematics | 15 | 34% | 31% |
| Chemistry | 14 | 32% | 17% |
| Biology | 11 | 25% | 20% |
| Physics | 9 | 20% | 12% |
| English Literature | 8 | 18% | 11% |
| Religious Studies | 6 | 14% | 4% |
| Arabic | — | — | 0% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 9 | 20% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | 6 | 14% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | 6 | 14% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 6 | 14% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Music Technology (Electronic) | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
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.