Academy converter · Birmingham

Fairfax

11–18Ages
1,581Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
136908URN

Fairfax Road, Sutton Coldfield, B75 7JT · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

5.5per place

1.3 above Birmingham median (4.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in BirminghamSelective

1,453 applications for 263 places · 27th of 83 in Birmingham

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

48.5of 90

Birmingham 45.3 England 46.0

31st of 88 in Birmingham

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 21 May 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Sixth form provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

5.5applications per place, Year 7

1.3 above Birmingham median (4.2) 3.3 above England median (2.2)

1,453 applications · 263 places offered · 238 named it first

2026 5.5; Birmingham median median 4.2
2025 5.6; Birmingham median median 4.3
2024 5.5; Birmingham median median 4.0
2023 5.8; Birmingham median median 4.1
2022 6.1; Birmingham median median 4.5
2021 5.9; Birmingham median median 4.3
2020 5.6; Birmingham median median 4.8
2019 6.4; Birmingham median median 4.8
2018 6.3; Birmingham median median 4.6
2017 5.8; Birmingham median median 4.5
2016 5.0; Birmingham median median 3.8
2015 5.0; Birmingham median median 3.6
2014 4.6; Birmingham median median 3.5

More applications per place than the Birmingham median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Birmingham median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	263	1,453	5.5	238	0.90
Sep 2025	260	1,461	5.6	264	1.02
Sep 2024	263	1,452	5.5	231	0.88
Sep 2023	263	1,532	5.8	220	0.84
Sep 2022	260	1,572	6.1	260	1.00
Sep 2021	263	1,540	5.9	263	1.00
Sep 2020	278	1,558	5.6	242	0.87
Sep 2019	246	1,585	6.4	259	1.05
Sep 2018	247	1,558	6.3	296	1.20
Sep 2017	249	1,450	5.8	288	1.16
Sep 2016	249	1,241	5.0	262	1.05
Sep 2015	247	1,238	5.0	296	1.20
Sep 2014	250	1,146	4.6	234	0.94

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

252 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)48.531st of 88 in Birmingham

Birmingham 45.3 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths53%32nd of 88 in Birmingham

Birmingham 46% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths70%

Birmingham 65% England 66%

This school
Birmingham median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.13

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	252	48.5	53%	70%	–
2024/25	255	49.1	53%	75%	–
2023/24	269	48.6	48%	75%	−0.13
2022/23	246	47.5	48%	70%	−0.17

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

FairfaxThis school
This school

Good2024

5.5applications per place 48.5Attainment 8
The Royal Sutton School
0.2 km · Birmingham

Good2023

6.9applications per place 39.8Attainment 8
Plantsbrook School
1.4 km · Birmingham

Standards maintained2025

6.2applications per place 49.1Attainment 8
Bishop Walsh Catholic School
1.8 km · Birmingham

Standards maintained2025

7.2applications per place 54.8Attainment 8
Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
1.9 km · Birmingham

Outstanding2024

5.6applications per place 79.5Attainment 8 Selective
Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls
2.3 km · Birmingham

Good2022

6.1applications per place 80.5Attainment 8 Selective
The Arthur Terry School
4.1 km · Birmingham

Good2022

4.9applications per place 52.6Attainment 8
St Edmund Campion Catholic School
4.1 km · Birmingham

Standards maintained2025

3.6applications per place 41.1Attainment 8
Lift Greenwood
4.7 km · Birmingham

2026

2.2applications per place 34.8Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 136908 · 330/5410
Trust: Fairfax Multi Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,584 pupils · 1,581 on roll
Free school meals: 23.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Opened: 1 July 2011
Replaced: Fairfax School (URN 103557)
Address: Fairfax Road, Sutton Coldfield, B75 7JT
Local authority: Birmingham

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources