The Telegraph has published its 2025 school league tables, revealing thirteen educational institutions in Birmingham that have received the lowest performance ratings.
Based on data from the 2023/24 academic year, the analysis highlights schools categorised as 'Below average' or 'Poor' compared to the national standard.
How Schools Are Assessed
The newspaper's rating system, which includes classifications from 'Very good' to 'Poor', is derived from a 40-point scale. This score is built from three key performance indicators.
The English Baccalaureate score contributes up to 5 points, measuring the proportion of pupils achieving a grade 5 or higher in core GCSE subjects: English, maths, science, a language, and either history or geography.
Another 5 points come from the Attainment 8 score, which assesses pupil performance across eight qualifications. A third 5-point segment is determined by the Progress 8 score, a crucial metric showing student improvement between Key Stage 2 and GCSEs.
Birmingham's Lowest Performers
Leading the list of underperforming schools is South and City College Birmingham in Digbeth. It achieved a total rating of just 11 out of 40, with an Attainment 8 score of 11.5.
In second position is Waverley Studio College in Bordesley Green, which scored 12 out of 40. Its Attainment 8 score was recorded at 26.5.
Sharing the third-lowest position are Smith's Wood Academy in Solihull and Bournville School in Bournville, both scoring 14 out of 40. Their Attainment 8 scores were 30 and 31.7 respectively.
A common issue identified across these institutions was a lower percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or higher in their English Baccalaureate subjects compared to the national average.
Understanding the Impact
These ratings provide parents and education officials with a clear snapshot of academic performance across the city. The data, compiled by The Telegraph's education team led by reporter Joe Forte, was published on 12th November 2025.
It is important to note that schools lacking main academic performance data were not given an overall rating in the league table. The findings are likely to prompt discussions about educational standards and resource allocation within Birmingham's school system.