King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls’ Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

The academy provides an exceptionally high quality of education, which results in students making outstanding progress. All groups of students make the same fast progress irrespective of their starting points or backgrounds. Teaching is outstanding because teachers know students extremely well and adapt learning to suit individual needs and abilities.

Pupil premium funding is used very effectively to support students who need extra help, so that they make the same outstanding progress as the others, especially in English. Students thrive because the academy is a very caring, inclusive community with excellent support systems. Stu...dents say they feel safe.

Teachers' marking is very good. Just occasionally, they do not make sure students follow up the guidance offered by improving their work. Outstanding leadership at all levels has established a climate where staff readily share expertise and check the impact of their work.

The very experienced governing body is exceptionally effective. Governors provide a high level of support and challenge. Robust systems for managing performance reward and encourage staff at all levels to ensure students succeed.

The sixth form is outstanding and the 16 to 19 study programmes meet students' needs and aspirations well. Students are very proud of their academy. They display exemplary attitudes to learning and their behaviour is outstanding.

The range of courses and subjects is very well planned and ensures that students enjoy their time in the academy. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the students is promoted extremely effectively.

Information about this school

Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy is average in size for a secondary school with a sixth form.

It converted to become an academy in November 2012. When its predecessor school, called Handsworth Wood Girls' Visual and Performing Arts Specialist College and Sixth Form Centre, was previously inspected by Ofsted in January 2011, it was judged to be good. Almost all students come from minority ethnic heritage backgrounds.

A much higher than average proportion of students speak English as an additional language. Many students are new to Britain from a wide range of countries, and speak very little English. The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium is well above average.

This is additional money allocated by the government for students who are looked after by the local authority and those eligible for free school meals. The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.

The academy runs a 'nurture' group to support students in literacy and numeracy. The academy supports an alternative provision free school, St George's Academy. It has partnerships with the Handsworth Association of Schools, the Titan Partnership, the James Brindley and Wood Green Academy Teaching Alliances and Citizens UK Birmingham.

The academy is the first academy in Birmingham to achieve the Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Quality Mark. A small number of students attend off-site work-related training at Birmingham Metropolitan College, Gordon Franks Training, City Learning Centre, Hamstead Hall Academy and University College Birmingham. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress.