Shirley Heath Junior School

Shirley Heath Junior School is performing exceptionally well. It was judged outstanding in all four key areas inspected: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2012, when it had been exempt because of its previous outstanding judgement. Under the current framework, no overall effectiveness grade is awarded. The school places pupils at the heart of its work and develops the whole child exceptionally well. Its curriculum is meticulously planned and sequenced, reading is given strong priority, and pupils with SEND are accurately identified and well supported. Pupils behave consistently well, show respect for one another, and benefit from a wide range of enriching experiences and leadership roles. Staff feel valued and well supported, governors provide effective strategic oversight, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. There are no notable concerns in the report. The school is described as inclusive, with barriers to learning removed so that pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well and are prepared for their next steps.

Strengths

• Meticulously planned and sequenced curriculum
• Engaging teaching that builds knowledge and skills over time
• Strong reading culture with bespoke support for pupils who struggle
• Accurate identification and effective support for pupils with SEND
• Pupils behave consistently well and show high levels of respect
• Rich personal development programme covering safety, relationships and diversity
• Wide range of extracurricular activities and enriching experiences
• Pupils take on meaningful leadership roles and contribute to the school community
• Staff feel valued, well supported and benefit from effective professional development
• Governors provide strong strategic oversight and challenge
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Inclusive school that removes barriers to 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 Shirley Heath Junior School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.9% 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, 1.0% of pupils at Shirley Heath Junior 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 Shirley Heath Junior School had 20.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.2% 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, 17.4% of pupils at Shirley Heath Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.3% 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 Shirley Heath Junior School received £6,419 and spent £6,676 for each of its 420 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £329,000 (£783 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

All schools in Solihull · Solihull local authority: places and applications

What is Shirley Heath Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Shirley Heath Junior School is Outstanding, from an inspection in October 2024.

When was Shirley Heath Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Shirley Heath Junior School was last inspected in October 2024.

How many pupils does Shirley Heath Junior School have?

Shirley Heath Junior School has 420 pupils on roll.

What age range does Shirley Heath Junior School cover?

Shirley Heath Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Shirley Heath Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Shirley Heath Junior School?

Shirley Heath Junior School is at Coombe Road, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 3DS.