Academy sponsor led · Birmingham

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy

11–16Ages
423Pupils
SecondaryPhase
147440URN

New Street, Frankley, Birmingham, B45 0EU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.5per place

0.8 below Birmingham median (4.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in BirminghamSelective

300 applications for 87 places · 61st of 83 in Birmingham

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

39.5of 90

Birmingham 45.3 England 46.0

74th of 88 in Birmingham

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 31 January 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

3.5applications per place, Year 7

0.8 below Birmingham median (4.2) 1.2 above England median (2.2)

300 applications · 87 places offered · 100 named it first

2026 3.5; Birmingham median median 4.2
2025 3.8; Birmingham median median 4.3
2024 3.5; Birmingham median median 4.0
2023 2.7; Birmingham median median 4.1
2022 2.7; Birmingham median median 4.5
2021 3.0; Birmingham median median 4.3
2020 3.3; Birmingham median median 4.8
2019 2.1; Birmingham median median 4.8; as the previous school
2018 3.4; Birmingham median median 4.6; as the previous school
2017 2.6; Birmingham median median 4.5; as the previous school
2016 1.7; Birmingham median median 3.8; as the previous school
2015 1.8; Birmingham median median 3.6; as the previous school
2014 1.7; Birmingham median median 3.5; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Birmingham median in 0 of 7 years.

This school
Birmingham median

Dashed bars: as Balaam Wood School (URN 103529), 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	87	300	3.5	100	1.15
Sep 2025	87	331	3.8	120	1.38
Sep 2024	88	307	3.5	83	0.94
Sep 2023	90	242	2.7	97	1.08
Sep 2022	90	239	2.7	73	0.81
Sep 2021	53	160	3.0	44	0.83
Sep 2020	67	224	3.3	64	0.96
Sep 2019 *	91	189	2.1	48	0.53
Sep 2018 *	44	148	3.4	34	0.77
Sep 2017 *	65	169	2.6	43	0.66
Sep 2016 *	68	118	1.7	60	0.88
Sep 2015 *	55	100	1.8	47	0.85
Sep 2014 *	47	81	1.7	36	0.77

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

72 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)39.574th of 88 in Birmingham

Birmingham 45.3 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths32%74th of 88 in Birmingham

Birmingham 46% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths47%

Birmingham 65% England 66%

This school
Birmingham median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.48

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	72	39.5	32%	47%	–
2024/25	75	41.4	32%	52%	–
2023/24	76	35.8	22%	43%	−0.48
2022/23	73	31.7	18%	34%	−0.63

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

King Edward VI Balaam Wood AcademyThis school
This school

Good2024

3.5applications per place 39.5Attainment 8
Colmers School and Sixth Form College
1.3 km · Birmingham

2026

3.9applications per place 39.1Attainment 8
Waseley Hills High School
1.7 km · Worcestershire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.7applications per place 39.7Attainment 8
Turves Green Boys' School
3.2 km · Birmingham

Good2024

2.6applications per place 43.8Attainment 8
King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls
3.3 km · Birmingham

Some aspects not as strong2024

3.2applications per place 45.3Attainment 8
King Edward VI Five Ways School
3.4 km · Birmingham

Good2023

7.7applications per place 79.3Attainment 8 Selective
Bartley Green School
3.9 km · Birmingham

Good2023

3.4applications per place 37.1Attainment 8
E-ACT Shenley Academy
4.0 km · Birmingham

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.7applications per place 32.9Attainment 8
St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School
4.8 km · Birmingham

Remains Good2024

3.9applications per place 50.9Attainment 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: 147440 · 330/4036
Trust: King Edward Vi Academy Trust Birmingham
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 546 pupils · 423 on roll
Free school meals: 66.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2019
Replaced: Balaam Wood School (URN 103529)
Address: New Street, Frankley, Birmingham, B45 0EU
Local authority: Birmingham

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