Arden Primary School

Arden Primary School maintains its status as a good school, providing a supportive and nurturing environment that fosters both academic and personal development for its pupils. The school emphasizes high expectations for behavior, leading to a positive atmosphere where pupils feel safe and engaged. With a curriculum that combines essential knowledge with opportunities for creativity and self-expression, students are well prepared for future challenges. Their commitment to reading is evident, and the school employs targeted support for pupils, especially those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Although recent developments include a well-planned approach to learning, concerns remain regarding high rates of persistent absence, indicating a need for improved attendance strategies.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and happy at school.
• Strong emphasis on reading and phonics from early years.
• Support for pupils with SEND is well structured and effective.
• Curriculum is carefully planned and meaningful.
• Pupils engage well in leadership and ambassador roles.
• Strong teamwork and communication among staff.

Areas for Improvement

• High rates of persistent absence affecting learning.

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 Arden Primary School attended 93.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.5% 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 Arden Primary 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 Arden Primary School had 21.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.6% 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, 16.2% of pupils at Arden Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% 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 Arden Primary School received £7,952 and spent £7,812 for each of its 661 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £350,000 (£529 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).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is Arden Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Arden Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was Arden Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Arden Primary School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Arden Primary School have?

Arden Primary School has 692 pupils on roll.

What age range does Arden Primary School cover?

Arden Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Arden Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Arden Primary School?

Arden Primary School is at Baker Street, Sparkhill, Birmingham, West Midlands, B11 4SF.