Dickens Heath Community Primary School

Dickens Heath Community Primary School is a larger-than-average inclusive primary with a specially resourced provision for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder. Following a full section 5 inspection under Ofsted's renewed framework, safeguarding standards are met and the school is judged to be working at a strong standard across almost all areas. Pupils achieve very well: phonics and multiplication checks are consistently high, and key stage 2 outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics are above national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils. The specially resourced provision is a notable strength, with pupils making rapid academic and social and emotional progress. Attendance is above the national average and persistent absence is falling, while behaviour is calm, respectful and purposeful. Leaders have built a well-sequenced curriculum, strong inclusion and effective governance. Staff know pupils well and adapt learning so that pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and others facing barriers access the same content successfully. Personal development and wellbeing are highly effective, with wide enrichment, clubs and community involvement. The one area below the school's otherwise strong standard is early years, which is judged at expected standard: children are happy and generally progress well, but staff interactions are not always precise or systematic, and some activities could be better matched to children's needs. The next step is to ensure early years staff consistently provide high-quality interactions and learning opportunities.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve consistently highly in Year 1 phonics and the Year 4 multiplication tables check.
• Key stage 2 outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics are above national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision, make rapid progress from their starting points.
• Attendance is above the national average and persistent absence is falling across year groups.
• Pupils behave very well; relationships are warm, respectful and bullying is very rare.
• The curriculum is well designed, progressive and teachers explain learning clearly.
• Reading and phonics are taught with accuracy and clarity from the outset.
• Inclusion is at the heart of the school, with effective adaptation and support for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
• Leaders and governors have a clear vision, strong oversight and carry out their duties effectively.
• Personal development and wellbeing are highly effective, with wide enrichment, clubs and community projects.
• Safeguarding standards are met and pupils feel safe and well supported.
• Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of education.

Areas for Improvement

• Early years is the only area judged at expected standard rather than strong standard.
• Early years staff interactions are not always precise or systematic enough to build knowledge and skills.
• Some early years activities could be more specifically matched to children's needs.
• Leaders should ensure early years staff consistently engage children in high-quality interactions and learning opportunities.

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 Dickens Heath Community Primary School attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.0% 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, 0.7% of pupils at Dickens Heath Community 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 Dickens Heath Community Primary School had 21.0 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, 11.7% of pupils at Dickens Heath Community Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 8 pupils.

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 Dickens Heath Community Primary School received £7,761 and spent £7,650 for each of its 444 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £223,000 (£503 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 Dickens Heath Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Dickens Heath Community Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Dickens Heath Community Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Dickens Heath Community Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Dickens Heath Community Primary School have?

Dickens Heath Community Primary School has 453 pupils on roll.

What age range does Dickens Heath Community Primary School cover?

Dickens Heath Community Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Dickens Heath Community Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Dickens Heath Community Primary School?

Dickens Heath Community Primary School is at Three Acres Lane, Dickens Heath, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 1NA.