Galton Valley Primary School

Galton Valley Primary School has been rated as good overall, demonstrating strong performance in various areas including the quality of education, behaviour, and leadership. The school cultivates a positive environment where pupils are engaged and respectful, resulting in high attendance and a low incidence of bullying. Academic achievement is notable in subjects like mathematics, reading, and art, though there are areas identified for improvement, particularly in physical education and early years education. With strong community ties and active extra-curricular involvement, the school aims to provide a holistic approach to education, helping pupils develop skills and interests beyond the classroom. Despite its strengths, the school has acknowledged some areas for improvement. In early years and the SEND provision, there is variability in the effectiveness of adult interactions, which affects children's progress. Additionally, the need for clearer progression in foundational subjects such as PE and RE has been highlighted, indicating a need for enhanced curriculum planning. While the leadership is proactive in addressing these concerns, ongoing support and guidance for new leaders will be essential for sustained development.

Strengths

• Strong leadership fostering high expectations
• Above-average academic standards in reading, writing, and mathematics
• Effective phonics teaching and reading immersion
• Wide range of extra-curricular activities enhancing pupil engagement
• Positive behaviour and attitudes amongst pupils
• Strong community links and parental satisfaction

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in adult interactions in early years and SEND resource-base
• Lack of clear progression in PE and RE curriculum
• Limited opportunities for pupils to take part in team sports
• Many pupils leave primary school without learning to swim

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 Galton Valley Primary School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.9% 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, 0.4% of pupils at Galton Valley 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 Galton Valley Primary School had 22.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.4% 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, 13.4% of pupils at Galton Valley Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 12 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 Galton Valley Primary School received £8,617 and spent £8,634 for each of its 437 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £330,000 (£756 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 Smethwick · Sandwell local authority: places and applications

What is Galton Valley Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Galton Valley Primary School is Good, from an inspection in July 2025.

When was Galton Valley Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Galton Valley Primary School was last inspected in July 2025.

How many pupils does Galton Valley Primary School have?

Galton Valley Primary School has 456 pupils on roll.

What age range does Galton Valley Primary School cover?

Galton Valley Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Galton Valley Primary School?

Galton Valley Primary School is at Brasshouse Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands, B66 1BA.