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Academy sponsor led · Birmingham

Lift Greenwood

  • 11–18Ages
  • 935Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 139048URN

Farnborough Road, Castle Vale, Birmingham, B35 7NL

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.2per place
2.0 below Birmingham median (4.2)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in BirminghamSelective

449 applications for 203 places · 83rd of 83 in Birmingham
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
34.8of 90
84th of 88 in Birmingham
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 13 January 2026Published 28 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 13 January 2026
    Report card · 4 Expected standard, 2 Needs attention
  2. 19 October 2021
    Graded inspection: 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
2.2applications per place, Year 7
2.0 below Birmingham median (4.2) close to England median (2.2)

449 applications · 203 places offered · 173 named it first

  1. 2026 2.2; Birmingham median median 4.2
  2. 2025 2.4; Birmingham median median 4.3
  3. 2024 3.0; Birmingham median median 4.0
  4. 2023 2.9; Birmingham median median 4.1
  5. 2022 2.4; Birmingham median median 4.5
  6. 2021 2.5; Birmingham median median 4.3
  7. 2020 2.5; Birmingham median median 4.8
  8. 2019 2.3; Birmingham median median 4.8
  9. 2018 2.7; Birmingham median median 4.6
  10. 2017 1.9; Birmingham median median 4.5
  11. 2016 1.4; Birmingham median median 3.8
  12. 2015 1.2; Birmingham median median 3.6
  13. 2014 1.2; Birmingham median median 3.5
More applications per place than the Birmingham median in 0 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262034492.21730.85
Sep 20252065012.41730.84
Sep 20241775253.01981.12
Sep 20231795262.91760.98
Sep 20221784322.41420.80
Sep 20211684122.51270.76
Sep 20201794462.51770.99
Sep 20191774062.31710.97
Sep 20181774772.71600.90
Sep 20171743371.91430.82
Sep 20161612321.41110.69
Sep 20151411681.2930.66
Sep 20141321521.2750.57

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

171 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)34.884th of 88 in Birmingham
Grade 5 or above in English and maths36%62nd of 88 in Birmingham
Grade 4 or above in English and maths59%
  • This school
  • Birmingham median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.97
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)17134.836%59%–
2024/2517231.819%45%–
2023/2417235.834%52%−0.97
2022/2317140.433%59%−0.15

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

  • 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 sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
139048 · 330/4006
Trust
Lift Schools
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,080 pupils · 935 on roll
Free school meals
56.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision
Resourced provision
Opened
1 January 2013
Replaced
Castle Vale Performing Arts College (URN 103506)
Address
Farnborough Road, Castle Vale, Birmingham, B35 7NL
Local authority
Birmingham

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