Alumwell Infant School

Alumwell Infant School is making significant strides forward since its last inspection, which resulted in a requires improvement grade. The school is now recognized as providing a good quality of education, with a strong emphasis on reading and mathematics. Pupils are reported to be happy, safe, and engaged in their learning, fostered by the supportive relationships built between staff and students. Parents express high levels of satisfaction with the school and the values it stands for, highlighting a nurturing environment that promotes personal development and well-rounded experiences for the children. Despite these positive aspects, attendance remains a challenge, as too many pupils are persistently absent, missing valuable learning opportunities. Furthermore, while the curriculum is ambitious and well-implemented, some teachers struggle with assessing pupil understanding in real time, which can lead to gaps in learning not being addressed promptly. School leaders are also encouraged to enhance their strategic overview to ensure continuous improvements in all areas of the school's operations.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, feel safe, and enjoy learning.
• Strong relationships exist between staff and pupils.
• The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of pupils effectively.
• Reading and mathematics have improved significantly since the last inspection.
• Staff receive extensive training to enhance their teaching skills.
• The early years provision offers a high-quality learning environment.
• Inclusive support is provided for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Rich extra-curricular activities are available to students.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not check pupils' understanding consistently during lessons.
• Too many pupils are absent and persistently absent from school.
• Leaders lack a clear strategic overview of all aspects of their work.

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 Alumwell Infant School attended 91.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 29.4% 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, 3.3% of pupils at Alumwell 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 Alumwell Infant School had 19.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 16.1% of pupils at Alumwell Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 8.6% 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 Alumwell Infant School received £8,733 and spent £9,019 for each of its 267 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £166,000 (£623 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 Walsall · Walsall local authority: places and applications

What is Alumwell Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Alumwell Infant School is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Alumwell Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Alumwell Infant School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Alumwell Infant School have?

Alumwell Infant School has 267 pupils on roll.

What age range does Alumwell Infant School cover?

Alumwell Infant School for pupils aged 4 to 7.

Where is Alumwell Infant School?

Alumwell Infant School is at Primley Avenue, Walsall, West Midlands, WS2 9UP.