Birches Head Academy, based in Stoke-on-Trent, provides secondary education, serving pupils aged 11 to 16. The school is a academy converter and operates as a mixed school. It follows a non-selective admissions policy. It has a none religious character.
Birches Head Academy currently has around 953 pupils on roll, which is about 92% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 52.7% boys and 47.3% girls. Around 36.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. Pupil backgrounds are varied across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 15.2%. Persistent absence is recorded at 43.3%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (57.1%).
At its latest Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Inadequate. This indicates significant weaknesses. Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | Birches Head Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 8DD |
| Website: | http://www.bircheshead.org.uk |
| Telephone: | 01782233595 |
| School Type: | Academy converter |
| Education phase: | Secondary |
| Local authority: | Stoke-on-Trent |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mr Paul Masher |
| Religious character: | None |
| Admissions policy: | Non-selective |
| Unique reference: | 148220 |
Ofsted inspection date: 03/10/2023
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 11 - 16 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 1040 |
| Number of Pupils: | 953 |
| Number of Boys: | 502 |
| Number of Girls: | 451 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 15.2% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 43.3% | 8.2% |
| White British | 57.10% | 544 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 9.80% | 93 |
| Other White | 8.30% | 79 |
| African | 8.30% | 79 |
| Pakistani | 7.50% | 71 |
| Other Asian | 2.00% | 19 |
| Other Mixed | 1.50% | 14 |
| White and Asian | 1.20% | 11 |
| White and Black African | 1.00% | 10 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.90% | 9 |
| Other Black | 0.80% | 8 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.60% | 6 |
| Chinese | 0.40% | 4 |
| Indian | 0.20% | 2 |
| Caribbean | 0.20% | 2 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.10% | 1 |
| Unclassified | 0.10% | 1 |
| Irish | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Hulton Nursery School Abbey Road , ST2 8AX | - not rated | 906 yd | Local authority nursery school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Northwood and Broom Community Nursery School Northwood Park Road , Hanley ST1 6QU | - not rated | 1,613 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Northwood Nursery School Northwood Park Road , Hanley ST1 6QU | - not rated | 1,613 yd | Local authority nursery school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Kingsland Nursery School Werrington Road , Bucknall ST2 9AS | - not rated | 2,031 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holden Lane Academy Ralph Drive , Sneyd Green ST1 6JS | 3out of 4 | 301 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Holden Lane Primary School Ralph Drive , Sneyd Green ST1 6JS | - not rated | 301 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Abbey Hulton Primary School School Road , Abbey Hulton ST2 8BS | - not rated | 1,039 yd | Foundation school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Abbey Hulton Primary School School Road , Abbey Hulton ST2 8BS | 3out of 4 | 1,039 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Our Lady and St Benedict Catholic Academy Abbey Lane , Abbey Hulton ST2 8AU | 4out of 4 | 1,141 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birches Head Academy Birches Head Road , Hanley ST2 8DD | 1out of 4 | 0 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Birches Head Academy Birches Head Road , Hanley ST2 8DD | - not rated | 0 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Holden Lane High School Specialist Sports College Milton Road , Sneyd Green ST1 6LG | - not rated | 859 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| The Excel Academy Milton Road , Sneyd Green ST1 6LG | 3out of 4 | 859 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Stoke Studio College for Manufacturing and Design Engineering Moorland Road , Burslem ST6 1JJ | - not rated | 2,585 yd | Studio schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Independent School 4 Geneva Drive , Birches Head ST1 6UW | - not rated | 488 yd | Other independent special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Spruce House School 114 Milton Road , Sneyd Green ST1 6HD | - not rated | 979 yd | Other independent special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Newhouse Special School Newhouse Road , Bucknall ST2 8BH | - not rated | 1,432 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Not applicable | More About School |
| Newfriars College Castle Grove , Newhouse Road ST2 8BH | - not rated | 1,455 yd | Special post 16 institution | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Manor Abbey School Greasley Road , ST2 8LG | - not rated | 1,607 yd | Free schools special | No | Boys | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.