Elston Hall Primary School

Elston Hall Primary School is a well-led, inclusive primary serving children aged 3 to 11. This was its first routine section 5 inspection since the pandemic and its first section 5 inspection as an academy within Elston Hall Learning Trust; it was previously judged outstanding before becoming an academy. Inspectors found high expectations, calm and friendly staff, good behaviour and strong achievement in English and mathematics, with safeguarding effective. Early years provision and pupils' personal development are standout strengths. Children settle quickly because of clear communication with parents, consistent routines and strong speaking and listening, while phonics teaching is highly effective and mathematics is ambitious. Pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs, trips, residential visits, leadership roles and outdoor learning, and staff identify SEND accurately and provide inclusive support. Leadership is capable, governance is effective and staff are positive. The main areas for improvement are the curriculum in a few foundation subjects, where sequencing and implementation are not consistently strong enough to help pupils embed key knowledge and progress in subject expertise, and the behaviour of a small minority of pupils who struggle to regulate their emotions and can present challenging behaviour. Leaders are already working constructively on both areas.

Strengths

• Strong early years provision that prepares children exceptionally well for later learning
• Highly effective, consistent phonics teaching with daily extra support for pupils who fall behind
• Ambitious mathematics practice that helps pupils succeed
• Well-sequenced PE curriculum enriched by a wide range of extracurricular activities and sporting events
• Accurate identification of SEND and inclusive support that helps all pupils achieve well
• Outstanding personal development through extensive clubs, trips, residential visits and pupil leadership roles
• Calm, orderly school culture with respectful pupils and fair, consistent behaviour management
• Capable, reflective leadership that has built a united staff team and effective governance
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Strong parental communication, especially when children start in early years
• High attendance and strong achievement in English and mathematics

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum sequencing and implementation are weaker in a few foundation subjects, limiting pupils' progress in subject expertise
• A small proportion of pupils struggle to control their emotions and present challenging behaviour, and some challenges persist

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 Elston Hall Primary School attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.5% 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, 2.7% of pupils at Elston Hall Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Elston Hall Primary School had 20.4 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, 14.6% of pupils at Elston Hall Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.5% 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 Elston Hall Primary School received £6,610 and spent £6,465 for each of its 664 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £404,000 (£608 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of Elston Hall Learning Trust, income was £7,199 and spending £7,100 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.

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All schools in Wolverhampton · Wolverhampton local authority: places and applications

Elston Hall Primary School is part of Elston Hall Learning Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• Palmers Cross Primary School Wolverhampton
• Edward the Elder Primary School Wolverhampton
• Goldthorn Park Primary School Wolverhampton
• Tipton Green Junior School Tipton
• Pheasey Park Farm Primary School and Early Years Centre Birmingham

What is Elston Hall Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Elston Hall Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Elston Hall Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Elston Hall Primary School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Elston Hall Primary School have?

Elston Hall Primary School has 683 pupils on roll.

What age range does Elston Hall Primary School cover?

Elston Hall Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Elston Hall Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Elston Hall Primary School?

Elston Hall Primary School is at Stafford Road, Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV10 6NN.