Holyhead SchoolKing Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys

Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Birmingham.

Summary of the comparison

Holyhead School and King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys are secondary schools in Birmingham.

  • Holyhead School scores 55 out of 100 (grade C, average) and King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys scores 76 out of 100 (grade B, strong). King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys is ahead on our composite score.

  • Holyhead School was judged Good and King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys was judged Good.

  • On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 43.2 for Holyhead School and 72.0 for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys.

  • GCSE Attainment 8 has held broadly level at Holyhead School (44.4 in 2021-22, 43.2 in 2024-25) and has held broadly level at King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys (70.4 in 2021-22, 72.0 in 2024-25).

Side-by-side comparison

Holyhead School versus King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys compared on inspection, results, pupils and attendance.
Measure BirminghamHolyhead SchoolBirminghamKing Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for BoysEngland average
Overview
Our scoreC55/100B76/100Stronger figure
Local ranking54th of 89 in Birmingham 14th of 89 in Birmingham Stronger figure
InspectionOfsted: GoodOfsted: Good
School typeAcademy converter Academy converter
PhaseSecondary Secondary
Age range11-18 11-18
GenderMixed Boys
Pupils on roll1,271 1,044
Capacity1,250 1,000
LocationBirmingham, B21 0HN Birmingham, B21 9ET
GCSE results
Attainment 843.2 72.0 Stronger figure46.0
Grade 5+ in English & maths33.2% 96.6% Stronger figure45.4%
Grade 4+ in English & maths57.2% 98.7% Stronger figure64.8%
Entering EBacc36.5% 57.0% Stronger figure40.5%
EBacc average point score3.79 6.59 Stronger figure4.09
Cohort208 149
A-level results
A-level entries52 131
A-level average points33.4 40.5 Stronger figure35.0
A-level average gradeC+ B
Best 3 A-levels points31.9 40.3 Stronger figure35.8
AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects9.5% 31.3% Stronger figure17.5%
Pupils
Pupils in the census1,271 1,044
Free school meals (ever 6)62.0% 19.7%
English as an additional language74.2% 26.1%
SEN support26.3% 3.9%
SEN with an EHC plan0.3% 0.2%
Attendance
Overall absence6.6% 5.4% Stronger figure6.2%
Persistent absence17.1% 15.7% Stronger figure15.8%

marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.

Historical trends

Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.

GCSE Attainment 8

GCSE Progress 8

A-level average points

Overall absence

Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)

Pupils on roll

Ethnicity over time

One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.

Holyhead School

King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys

Full profiles: Holyhead School · King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys