The Excel AcademyBirches Head Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Stoke-on-Trent.
Summary of the comparison
The Excel Academy and Birches Head Academy are secondary schools in Stoke-on-Trent.
The Excel Academy scores 49 out of 100 (grade D, below average) and Birches Head Academy scores 31 out of 100 (grade F, weak). The Excel Academy is ahead on our composite score.
The Excel Academy was judged Good and Birches Head Academy was judged in need of attention.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 37.5 for The Excel Academy and 31.3 for Birches Head Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at The Excel Academy (44.3 in 2021-22, 37.5 in 2024-25) and has fallen at Birches Head Academy (38.5 in 2021-22, 31.3 in 2024-25).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | Stoke-on-TrentThe Excel Academy | Stoke-on-TrentBirches Head Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | D49/100Stronger figure | F31/100 | |
| Local ranking | 9th of 14 in Stoke-on-Trent Stronger figure | 14th of 14 in Stoke-on-Trent | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: GoodStronger figure | Ofsted: Needs attention | |
| School type | Academy converter | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-16 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,208 | 953 | |
| Capacity | 1,200 | 1,040 | |
| Location | Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 6LG | Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 8DD | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 37.5 Stronger figure | 31.3 | 46.0 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 29.3% Stronger figure | 17.1% | 45.4% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 51.7% Stronger figure | 39.2% | 64.8% |
| Entering EBacc | 31.4% Stronger figure | 25.6% | 40.5% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.06 Stronger figure | 2.62 | 4.09 |
| Cohort | 242 | 199 | |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,208 | 953 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 34.8% | 47.2% | |
| English as an additional language | 10.7% | 26.7% | |
| SEN support | 17.1% | 13.8% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.8% | 1.6% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 10.7% Stronger figure | 11.9% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 29.0% Stronger figure | 36.2% | 15.8% |
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
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.
The Excel Academy
Birches Head Academy
Full profiles: The Excel Academy · Birches Head Academy