Academy converter · Dudley

Beacon Hill Academy

11–16Ages
1,117Pupils
SecondaryPhase
137705URN

High Arcal Drive, Sedgley, Dudley, DY3 1BP · 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

2.1per place

0.2 below Dudley median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Dudley

466 applications for 219 places · 13th of 19 in Dudley

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

44.4of 90

Dudley 44.2 England 46.0

8th of 19 in Dudley

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 8 May 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		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

2.1applications per place, Year 7

0.2 below Dudley median (2.3) close to England median (2.2)

466 applications · 219 places offered · 175 named it first

2026 2.1; Dudley median median 2.3
2025 1.9; Dudley median median 2.1
2024 1.8; Dudley median median 2.1
2023 1.6; Dudley median median 2.2
2022 1.8; Dudley median median 2.4
2021 1.8; Dudley median median 2.1
2020 1.7; Dudley median median 2.2
2019 1.5; Dudley median median 2.1
2018 1.5; Dudley median median 2.2
2017 2.0; Dudley median median 2.4
2016 2.2; Dudley median median 2.3
2015 1.9; Dudley median median 2.3
2014 2.3; Dudley median median 2.4

More applications per place than the Dudley median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Dudley 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	219	466	2.1	175	0.80
Sep 2025	228	442	1.9	172	0.75
Sep 2024	218	396	1.8	148	0.68
Sep 2023	228	371	1.6	140	0.61
Sep 2022	219	385	1.8	130	0.59
Sep 2021	198	348	1.8	127	0.64
Sep 2020	194	330	1.7	107	0.55
Sep 2019	238	357	1.5	126	0.53
Sep 2018	211	323	1.5	93	0.44
Sep 2017	209	408	2.0	139	0.67
Sep 2016	194	422	2.2	130	0.67
Sep 2015	193	374	1.9	152	0.79
Sep 2014	216	506	2.3	184	0.85

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

202 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)44.48th of 19 in Dudley

Dudley 44.2 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths47%5th of 19 in Dudley

Dudley 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths69%

Dudley 61% England 66%

This school
Dudley median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.04

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	202	44.4	47%	69%	–
2024/25	185	41.0	46%	58%	–
2023/24	205	39.3	32%	52%	−0.04
2022/23	165	39.6	33%	56%	−0.02

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

Beacon Hill AcademyThis school
This school

Good2024

2.1applications per place 44.4Attainment 8
The Dormston School
1.1 km · Dudley

Good2022

2.5applications per place 44.5Attainment 8
Ellowes Hall Sports College
1.5 km · Dudley

Good2023

1.9applications per place 41.2Attainment 8
Bishop Milner Catholic College
1.6 km · Dudley

Remains Good2023

3.5applications per place 45.4Attainment 8
St James Academy
2.7 km · Dudley

Good2024

1.7applications per place 41.6Attainment 8
Pegasus Academy
3.2 km · Dudley

2026

1.9applications per place 41.7Attainment 8
The Khalsa Academy Wolverhampton
3.5 km · Wolverhampton

Remains Good2023

2.0applications per place 47.8Attainment 8
Colton Hills Community School
3.6 km · Wolverhampton

Remains Good2023

1.3applications per place 40.5Attainment 8
Ormiston SWB Academy
3.8 km · Wolverhampton

2026

2.0applications per place 40.3Attainment 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: 137705 · 332/5403
Trust: Dudley Academies Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,210 pupils · 1,117 on roll
Free school meals: 38.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision and SEN unit
Opened: 1 December 2011
Replaced: The High Arcal School (URN 103873)
Address: High Arcal Drive, Sedgley, Dudley, DY3 1BP
Local authority: Dudley

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