Sladefield Infant School

Sladefield Infant School is a welcoming, inclusive infant school where pupils are happy, behave well and feel safe. Inspectors found provision to be secure across all areas, with safeguarding requirements met. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, generally achieve well; phonics in Year 1 is a particular strength, and the proportion of early years children reaching a good level of development is above the national average. Early reading and mathematics are well established, and the early years provision gives children a strong start. Leadership is a notable strength: leaders have an accurate view of the school, work closely with families and the community, and prioritise staff wellbeing and development. Inclusion and pastoral support are strong, and parents praise the individualised support for pupils with SEND. Attendance has improved year on year because of concerted work with families, although overall and persistent absence remain above national averages. Some refinements are still needed. Writing and handwriting are inconsistent, and in a small number of subjects the curriculum sequence is not precise enough. Adaptations for pupils with SEND are very effective in reading and mathematics but less consistent in some foundation subjects. The school is located in an area of well-above-average deprivation and has a well-above-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is important context for its work.

Strengths

• Pupils generally achieve well, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Phonics is delivered consistently and effectively, with strong Year 1 outcomes.
• Early years provision is well planned and gives children a secure start.
• Pupils behave well, show respect and feel safe in a calm, welcoming environment.
• Inclusion and pastoral support are strong and tailored to individual needs.
• Leaders engage closely with families and the wider community.
• Staff feel valued and supported, with a strong focus on wellbeing and professional development.
• Attendance has improved year on year through effective work with families.
• Personal development and enrichment opportunities are broad and inclusive.
• Pupils with SEND are well supported in reading and mathematics.

Areas for Improvement

• Handwriting and pupils' recording of ideas in writing are inconsistent.
• Curriculum sequencing is not precise enough in a small number of subjects, including handwriting.
• Adaptations for pupils with SEND are less consistently effective in some foundation subjects.
• Overall and persistent absence remain above national averages, despite improvement.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Sladefield Infant School attended 93.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Sladefield Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Sladefield Infant School had 18.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 13.9% of pupils at Sladefield Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Sladefield Infant School received £9,012 and spent £9,291 for each of its 266 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £95,000 (£355 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

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What is Sladefield Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sladefield Infant School is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Sladefield Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Sladefield Infant School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Sladefield Infant School have?

Sladefield Infant School has 266 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sladefield Infant School cover?

Sladefield Infant School for pupils aged 4 to 7.

Where is Sladefield Infant School?

Sladefield Infant School is at Bamville Road, Ward End, Birmingham, West Midlands, B8 2TJ.