Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,152 pupils
81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.7
Studio schools
Waverley Studio College
- Pupils on roll
- 223of 300 places
- Free school meals
- 40.0%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 55
- Ofsted
- School remains Good, 23 September 2022Read the Ofsted report
What the data says
Of the 55 pupils who finished Year 11 at Waverley Studio College in 2023, 18% stayed on in Waverley Studio College’s own sixth form (Birmingham average 33%), 36% went to a further education college and none started an apprenticeship.
16% of leavers were not in sustained education, employment or training six months on, compared with 6% nationally.
GCSE results in 2025 were well below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 21.9 against 46.1 across England and 46.6 in Birmingham, with 13% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Among the 53 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 36% went to university (Birmingham 46%, England 37%), and 3% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
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 | Waverley Studio College | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 55 | 14,526 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 75% | 90% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 75% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 18% | 33% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 18% | 13% | 13% |
| — further education college | 36% | 39% | 37% |
| — other education | 2% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 1% | 3% |
| Employment | 0% | 1% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 16% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 9% | 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 | Waverley Studio College | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 53 | 10,326 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 58% | 75% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 36% | 46% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 3% | 28% | 19% |
| Further education | 4% | 7% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 4% | 7% |
| Employment | 19% | 17% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 30% | 18% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Waverley Studio College | Birmingham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 21.9 | 46.6 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 13% | 45% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 26% | 64% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 0% | 48% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 1.83 | 4.15 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 64% | 48% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 18.1 | 40.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 28.5 | 52.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 53% | 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 | 53 | 96% | 88% | 2% | 22% | 34% |
| English Language | 51 | 93% | 89% | 0% | 20% | 39% |
| Combined Science | 46 | 84% | 65% | 0% | 9% | 15% |
| English Literature | 34 | 62% | 86% | 0% | 21% | 41% |
| Religious Studies | 14 | 25% | 31% | 0% | 32% | 14% |
| Art and Design | 14 | 25% | 7% | 0% | 24% | 0% |
| Citizenship Studies | 13 | 24% | 3% | 0% | 19% | 38% |
| Chemistry | 7 | 13% | 23% | 0% | 47% | 100% |
| Physics | 7 | 13% | 23% | 14% | 46% | 86% |
| Biology | 7 | 13% | 23% | 0% | 45% | 86% |
| Arabic | 5 | 9% | 1% | — | 47% | — |
| Urdu | 3 | 5% | 1% | — | 42% | — |
| Spanish | 1 | 2% | 19% | — | 27% | — |
| French | 1 | 2% | 18% | — | 29% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 24 | — | — |
| Sports Studies | 9 | — | — |
| Childcare Skills | 9 | — | — |
| Health Studies | 9 | — | — |
| Small Business Management | 4 | — | — |
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.