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Academy converter · Wolverhampton

Smestow Academy

  • 11–18Ages
  • 589Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 149635URN

Windmill Crescent, Wolverhampton, WV3 8HU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Serious weaknesses

Report card · inspected Nov 2025

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

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.2per place
close to Wolverhampton median (2.0)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in WolverhamptonSelective

186 applications for 85 places · 9th of 19 in Wolverhampton
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
48.6of 90
6th of 20 in Wolverhampton
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Serious weaknesses

Report card · inspected 11 November 2025Published 11 January 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceStrong 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. 11 November 2025
    Report card · 3 Strong standard, 4 Expected standard

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
close to Wolverhampton median (2.0) close to England median (2.2)

186 applications · 85 places offered · 40 named it first

  1. 2026 2.2; Wolverhampton median median 2.0
  2. 2025 0.8; Wolverhampton median median 2.5
  3. 2024 1.2; Wolverhampton median median 2.2
  4. 2023 0.7; Wolverhampton median median 2.4
  5. 2022 0.9; Wolverhampton median median 2.1; as the previous school
  6. 2021 1.2; Wolverhampton median median 2.5; as the previous school
  7. 2020 1.9; Wolverhampton median median 2.1; as the previous school
  8. 2019 2.7; Wolverhampton median median 2.2; as the previous school
  9. 2018 2.3; Wolverhampton median median 1.8; as the previous school
  10. 2017 2.8; Wolverhampton median median 2.0; as the previous school
  11. 2016 3.3; Wolverhampton median median 2.4; as the previous school
  12. 2015 3.4; Wolverhampton median median 2.0; as the previous school
  13. 2014 3.5; Wolverhampton median median 1.8; as the previous school
  • This school
  • Wolverhampton median

Dashed bars: as Smestow School (URN 140586), Smestow School, A Specialist Sports College (URN 104389), 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 2026851862.2400.47
Sep 20251481210.8250.17
Sep 202478941.2190.24
Sep 20231541100.7290.19
Sep 2022 *1691520.9290.17
Sep 2021 *1311551.2320.24
Sep 2020 *901731.9320.36
Sep 2019 *1072852.7410.38
Sep 2018 *1653752.3590.36
Sep 2017 *1624482.8770.48
Sep 2016 *1615283.31060.66
Sep 2015 *1615443.41180.73
Sep 2014 *1605583.51190.74

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

113 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)48.66th of 20 in Wolverhampton
Grade 5 or above in English and maths48%8th of 20 in Wolverhampton
Grade 4 or above in English and maths62%
  • This school
  • Wolverhampton median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.31
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)11348.648%62%–
2024/259042.631%60%–
2023/249244.344%61%+0.31
2022/23–

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 converter
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
149635 · 336/4011
Trust
Matrix Academy Trust
Capacity
1,010 pupils · 589 on roll
Free school meals
59.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 January 2023
Replaced
Smestow School (URN 140586); Smestow School, A Specialist Sports College (URN 104389)
Address
Windmill Crescent, Wolverhampton, WV3 8HU
Local authority
Wolverhampton

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