Free schools · Birmingham

City Academy

11–16Ages
554Pupils
SecondaryPhase
148187URN

23 Langley Walk, Birmingham, B15 2EF · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Feb 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

4.5per place

0.3 above Birmingham median (4.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in BirminghamSelective

276 applications for 61 places · 38th of 83 in Birmingham

Every year since 2021

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

37.5of 90

Birmingham 45.3 England 46.0

79th of 88 in Birmingham

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 10 February 2026Published 19 April 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching			Needs attention
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years	Does not apply to this school
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected 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

10 February 2026
Report card · 4 Expected standard, 2 Needs attention
7 March 2023
Graded inspection: Requires improvement

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

4.5applications per place, Year 7

0.3 above Birmingham median (4.2) 2.3 above England median (2.2)

276 applications · 61 places offered · 34 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 4.5; Birmingham median median 4.2
2025 4.6; Birmingham median median 4.3
2024 1.8; Birmingham median median 4.0
2023 3.6; Birmingham median median 4.1
2022 1.6; Birmingham median median 4.5
2021 2.9; Birmingham median median 4.3

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	61	276	4.5	34	0.56
Sep 2025	53	246	4.6	29	0.55
Sep 2024	148	271	1.8	21	0.14
Sep 2023	88	319	3.6	30	0.34
Sep 2022	197	311	1.6	49	0.25
Sep 2021	110	321	2.9	50	0.45

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

131 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)37.579th of 88 in Birmingham

Birmingham 45.3 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths32%72nd of 88 in Birmingham

Birmingham 46% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths51%

Birmingham 65% England 66%

This school
Birmingham median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.47

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	131	37.5	32%	51%	–
2024/25	150	36.4	23%	41%	–
2023/24	162	34.7	27%	44%	−0.47
2022/23	162	28.6	17%	32%	−1.16

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

City AcademyThis school
This school

2026

4.5applications per place 37.5Attainment 8
Ark St Alban's Academy
1.3 km · Birmingham

Good2024

3.6applications per place 50.4Attainment 8
Jewellery Quarter Academy
1.4 km · Birmingham

Serious weaknesses Graded · no overall grade2024

3.8applications per place 38.1Attainment 8
Birmingham Ormiston Academy
1.7 km · Birmingham

Good2023

53.0Attainment 8
Aston University Engineering Academy
2.3 km · Birmingham

2026

43.5Attainment 8
St Paul's School for Girls
2.3 km · Birmingham

Remains Outstanding2023

4.7applications per place 65.9Attainment 8
BOA Digital Technologies Academy
2.4 km · Birmingham

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.3applications per place
Harborne Academy
2.4 km · Birmingham

Remains Good2022

7.1applications per place 44.4Attainment 8
Nishkam High School
2.6 km · Birmingham

Graded · no overall grade2025

9.3applications per place 52.0Attainment 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: Free schools
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 148187 · 330/4039
Trust: Core Education Trust
Capacity: 750 pupils · 554 on roll
Free school meals: 57.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2020
Address: 23 Langley Walk, Birmingham, B15 2EF
Local authority: Birmingham

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