Academy sponsor led · Sandwell

Q3 Academy Tipton

11–19Ages
1,563Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
146383URN

Alexandra Road, Tipton, DY4 7NR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Apr 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

0.9 below Sandwell median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Sandwell

453 applications for 294 places · 21st of 22 in Sandwell

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

34.1of 90

Sandwell 41.4 England 46.0

20th of 20 in Sandwell

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 29 April 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
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

1.5applications per place, Year 7

0.9 below Sandwell median (2.4) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

453 applications · 294 places offered · 271 named it first

2026 1.5; Sandwell median median 2.4
2025 1.3; Sandwell median median 2.0
2024 1.3; Sandwell median median 2.0
2023 1.4; Sandwell median median 1.8
2022 1.3; Sandwell median median 1.9
2021 1.2; Sandwell median median 2.1
2020 1.2; Sandwell median median 2.1
2019 1.0; Sandwell median median 1.9
2018 0.8; Sandwell median median 2.0; as the previous school
2017 1.0; Sandwell median median 2.2; as the previous school
2016 1.1; Sandwell median median 2.0; as the previous school
2015 1.1; Sandwell median median 1.9; as the previous school
2014 1.2; Sandwell median median 1.8; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Sandwell median in 0 of 8 years.

This school
Sandwell median

Dashed bars: as The ACE Academy (URN 139328), Alexandra High School and Sixth Form Centre (URN 104008), the previous school.

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	294	453	1.5	271	0.92
Sep 2025	279	365	1.3	266	0.95
Sep 2024	285	372	1.3	251	0.88
Sep 2023	289	392	1.4	262	0.91
Sep 2022	296	396	1.3	276	0.93
Sep 2021	290	361	1.2	223	0.77
Sep 2020	291	340	1.2	204	0.70
Sep 2019	288	290	1.0	176	0.61
Sep 2018 *	260	219	0.8	141	0.54
Sep 2017 *	283	283	1.0	191	0.67
Sep 2016 *	277	299	1.1	177	0.64
Sep 2015 *	299	341	1.1	239	0.80
Sep 2014 *	260	323	1.2	210	0.81

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

281 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)34.120th of 20 in Sandwell

Sandwell 41.4 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths14%20th of 20 in Sandwell

Sandwell 36% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths37%

Sandwell 54% England 66%

This school
Sandwell median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−1.05

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	281	34.1	14%	37%	–
2024/25	283	36.4	18%	34%	–
2023/24	295	32.9	16%	37%	−1.05
2022/23	246	32.7	12%	29%	−0.75

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

Q3 Academy TiptonThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 34.1Attainment 8
Gospel Oak School
1.9 km · Sandwell

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place 39.2Attainment 8
Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy
2.6 km · Sandwell

Remains Good2023

1.6applications per place 44.7Attainment 8
George Salter Academy
2.7 km · Sandwell

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 40.5Attainment 8
St James Academy
3.5 km · Dudley

Good2024

1.7applications per place 41.6Attainment 8
Shireland Biomedical Utc
3.6 km · Sandwell

Requires improvement2023

2.6applications per place 40.3Attainment 8
The Phoenix Collegiate
3.7 km · Sandwell

Good2023

2.2applications per place 38.9Attainment 8
Wodensborough Ormiston Academy
3.7 km · Sandwell

2025

1.9applications per place 41.0Attainment 8
Bishop Milner Catholic College
3.8 km · Dudley

Remains Good2023

3.5applications per place 45.4Attainment 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 sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 146383 · 333/4006
Trust: The Mercian Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,550 pupils · 1,563 on roll
Free school meals: 47.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 November 2018
Replaced: The ACE Academy (URN 139328); Alexandra High School and Sixth Form Centre (URN 104008)
Address: Alexandra Road, Tipton, DY4 7NR
Local authority: Sandwell

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