The school opened in 1966 and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016 with a mass in the sports hall which was conducted by Bernard Longley. The school also held a "Garden Party" to celebrate the event. The school currently teaches 840 pupils aged 11–16 and a further 300 pupils in the VI form. The current headteacher is Henryk J. Koryl. The school is managed by the senior management team and the board of governors. Since the end of September 2012, Peter McCann is the Chair of the Academy Representative Committee.
In 2006 the school applied to renew its bid as a performing arts college which was successful. It also achieved specialist status as a Mathematics and Computing College. Bishop Walsh now belongs to three of the Specialist Schools Trust's award clubs. The school is enrolled in the club for highest performing results, the highest valued scores from SATs to GCSE and the third club is for the most improved schools over the past four years. Only 34 schools in the UK, excluding Walsh, belong to all three clubs, placing the school in the top 1.2% of specialist schools in the UK. On 1 January 2014 Bishop Walsh Catholic School converted to academy status and is now part of the St John Paul II Multi The school is involved with many projects with the Catholic Partnership, which includes the Year 10young leaders project, sporting competitions and other religious orientated projects and events. The school's local cluster group is . The school has with the cluster arranged free dental care for young people in Sutton due to parents refusing to accept locally provided NHS care and an enterprising project, with Year 10 pupils, recycling bikes in the local community. Grant Huddleston is an active Duke of Edinburgh Award coordinator - Year 10 pupils and above are able to achieve the lBronze and Silver award from the expeditions. On 13 December 2011, Sarah Cotter won a Harry Potter competition through Sainsbury's. Rupert Grint and Oliver Phelps visited the school. In July 2013, pupils worked throughout the week following the theme 'In the community'. Groups kept to performing arts departments which eventually ended up with Year 9 performing on The Alex Theatre stage in central Birmingham where they were watched by year 7 & 8 and the parents of some pupils and all staff.
Bishop Walsh Catholic School is a Member of the , whose core purpose is to promote the Common Good, as outlined by the Bishops of England and Wales, in Birmingham's Catholic Secondary schools.
Admission criteria
11-16 education
Bishop Walsh Catholic School is a Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided School serving, in the first instance, the local Roman Catholic Community. Pupils are normally admitted to the school between the ages of 11 and 16 years, the operative date being September 1 of the current school year. All pupils are expected to take part in Religious Education lessons. All the criteria apply for years 7 - 11 in the school. To support their application, parents/ guardians will be required to provide evidence that their children are baptized Catholics. The Governors have adopted Birmingham LEA's definition of brothers and sisters and residency. The Governors have the right to check with Parish Priests that the child's residence lies within the four Sutton Coldfield parish boundaries.
