Shireland Hall Primary Academy

Shireland Hall Primary Academy is performing at a strong standard across all inspected areas, with safeguarding standards met. Inspectors found a highly effective school where pupils achieve very well from their starting points, attendance is above national averages, and behaviour is calm and positive. Reading and mathematics outcomes are particularly strong, including for disadvantaged pupils, and pupils with SEND are well supported to succeed alongside their peers. The school benefits from a well-sequenced, ambitious curriculum and highly consistent teaching. Early years provision is a notable strength, with children thriving and leaving Reception well prepared for Year 1. Inclusion is central to the school's work, and leaders, governance and trust oversight are highly effective in sustaining high standards. The school is larger than average, serves a relatively deprived area with high EAL needs, and is part of The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust. The main improvement priority is to close the remaining gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils in writing by the end of key stage 2. Writing outcomes are broadly in line with national averages overall, and the disadvantaged writing gap remains negative, though progress from individual starting points is strong. Leaders are also asked to continue refining all aspects of provision to secure transformational outcomes.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve highly from their starting points across subjects and year groups.
• Year 1 phonics outcomes are high and mathematics results consistently exceed national averages.
• Attendance is typically above national averages and particularly strong for vulnerable pupils.
• Pupils behave exceptionally well, showing respect, resilience and excellent attitudes to learning.
• The curriculum is ambitious, well sequenced and designed to build knowledge securely over time.
• Teaching is highly consistent, supported by secure subject knowledge and evidence-based professional development.
• Early years provision is highly effective, with children thriving and exceptionally well prepared for Year 1.
• Inclusion is at the centre of the school's work, and pupils with SEND achieve highly from their starting points.
• Leaders and governance are highly effective, with rigorous evaluation, accountability and support.
• Personal development and wellbeing provision is strong, including safety education, enrichment and pupil leadership.
• Support for pupils with English as an additional language and disadvantaged pupils is effective.
• Staff wellbeing is prioritised, and staff feel valued and supported.

Areas for Improvement

• The gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils in writing by the end of key stage 2 remains a priority.
• Teacher-assessed writing outcomes are broadly average, with a negative disadvantaged gap in writing.

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 Shireland Hall Primary Academy attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.8% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Shireland Hall Primary Academy 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 Shireland Hall Primary Academy had 18.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.2% 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, 10.1% of pupils at Shireland Hall Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.5% 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 2024–25 Shireland Hall Primary Academy received £7,162 and spent £7,614 for each of its 638 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £329,000 (£515 per pupil).

Across all 36 schools of The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust, income was £7,171 and spending £7,108 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Smethwick · Sandwell local authority: places and applications

Shireland Hall Primary Academy is part of The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust, which runs 37 schools. The nearest others:

• Harborne Primary School Birmingham
• George Betts Primary Academy Smethwick
• Chandos Primary School Birmingham
• Tiverton Academy Birmingham
• Rounds Green Primary School Oldbury
• Rowley Hall Primary School Rowley Regis
• Netherbrook Primary School Dudley
• Kings Norton Primary School Birmingham
• Billesley Primary School Birmingham
• Kings Rise Academy Birmingham

What is Shireland Hall Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Shireland Hall Primary Academy is Strong standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was Shireland Hall Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Shireland Hall Primary Academy was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Shireland Hall Primary Academy have?

Shireland Hall Primary Academy has 661 pupils on roll.

What age range does Shireland Hall Primary Academy cover?

Shireland Hall Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Shireland Hall Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Shireland Hall Primary Academy?

Shireland Hall Primary Academy is at Montague Road, Smethwick, West Midlands, B66 4PW.