Dodford First School

Dodford First School is performing well, maintaining a good overall effectiveness rating. The school provides a supportive environment where pupils enjoy learning and feel safe. Staff members are dedicated to the well-being of their students, fostering strong relationships and offering high-quality pastoral care. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, aiming to equip pupils with essential knowledge and skills. Recent changes have improved literacy, particularly through a structured phonics programme, ensuring that pupils become confident readers. However, the school is facing some challenges in effectively implementing the curriculum for mixed-age classes as it progresses into the second year.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy their learning in a supportive environment.
• High expectations for behaviour contribute to a calm classroom atmosphere.
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils promote well-being.
• The curriculum is broad, ambitious, and enriches learning through trips.
• Effective phonics programme helps pupils become confident readers.
• Welcoming and supportive for pupils with SEND.
• High levels of pupil participation in extracurricular activities.

Areas for Improvement

• Uncertainty remains about teaching mixed-age classes effectively moving forward.
• Subject leaders have not fully evaluated all subjects for potential improvements.

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 Dodford First School attended 93.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.8% 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 Dodford First 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 Dodford First School had 16.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 41.9% 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, 20.0% of pupils at Dodford First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.0% 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 Dodford First School received £9,429 and spent £10,458 for each of its 64 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £42,000 (-£663 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 Bromsgrove · Worcestershire local authority: places and applications

What is Dodford First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Dodford First School is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was Dodford First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Dodford First School was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does Dodford First School have?

Dodford First School has 65 pupils on roll.

What age range does Dodford First School cover?

Dodford First School for pupils aged 3 to 9.

Where is Dodford First School?

Dodford First School is at Fockbury Road, Dodford, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B61 9AW.