The Link Academy
About the school
The Link Academy is an open secondary school in Dudley.
Latest Ofsted inspection
Published Ofsted information, current as at 31 July 2026. Inspection outcomes are not performance rankings.
- Latest inspection
- 19 May 2026
- Published
- 21 June 2026
- Inspection type
- S5 Inspection
Published inspection outcomes
Safeguarding
Met
Inclusion
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Strong standard
Previous inspection framework
These judgements are retained by Ofsted from an earlier inspection framework.
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Yes
Early years
Not applicable
Sixth form
Not applicable
Results and school context
GCSE and key stage 4
Attainment 8
- School
- 40.4
- Dudley
- 43
- England
- 46.1
Progress 8
The DfE has not published this measure for 2024/25.
- School
- N/A
- Dudley
- N/A
- England
- N/A
English and maths grade 5+
- School
- 32.80%
- Dudley
- 40.70%
- England
- 45.40%
English and maths grade 4+
- School
- 56.90%
- Dudley
- 61.00%
- England
- 64.80%
EBacc entry
- School
- 18.50%
- Dudley
- 31.10%
- England
- 40.50%
EBacc average point score
- School
- 3.48
- Dudley
- 3.69
- England
- 4.09
Pupil context and attendance
DfE context data for 2024/25. These characteristics provide context and are not quality ratings.
Pupils on roll
1014
Girls
50.69%
Boys
49.31%
SEN support
17.85%
Education, health and care plan
2.27%
English as an additional language
24.60%
Eligible for free school meals in the past six years
50.89%
Overall absence
9.77
Persistent absence
32.06
Pupil destinations
DfE destination measures from the 2024/25 release. These outcomes are published after a time lag.
After Key Stage 4
Cohort
169
Sustained education or employment
80%
Education
76%
Apprenticeship
2%
Employment
2%
Not sustained
15%