Excelsior Academy is for local children aged 11 to 18. It is free and non-selective.

The overall specialism of the academy is Enterprise. The four 11-16 schools within the academy each have their own focus - Business and Economics, Health Related Studies, Creative and Performing Arts, and Design, Construction and the Environment.

The four schools each admit 75 pupils into year 7 each year. There are 375 pupils in each school, plus 300 sixth form places, making a total of 1,800.

The four 11-16 school organisation within the academy is known as ‘schools within a school’. The aim is to create a closer ‘family’ feel within the academy. Each school will, as far as possible, have a balanced intake based on gender, aptitude and ability.

Allocation to each school is based on a process of guided choice in year 6 involving a close partnership between the primary school, the academy, the parents and the student. Each school offers a broad and balanced curriculum personalised to meet the needs of each pupil.

The curriculum in each school for years 7 and 8 is similar. It focuses on the development of core subjects - English/literacy, numeracy, science, information communications technology (ICT), enterprise and citizenship. Themes such as ‘learning to learn’ are used in each school. The aim is to ensure that all pupils have achieved at least an acceptable minimum standard of basic skills which will enable them to benefit from subsequent courses.

In general it is anticipated that pupils will stay in the school they first join. A small number of students may move for various reasons, such as at the end of year 9 as they pass through the 14-19 gateway, it may become apparent they would benefit from the focus of another school within the academy.