Firs Primary School
| Type | Primary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 3-11 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Dreghorn Road Castle Bromwich Firs Primary School Birmingham West Midlands B36 8LL |
| Phone | 01214643792 |
| Reference Number | 143089 |
Firs Primary School is currently rated as requiring improvement overall, with significant efforts being made to enhance educational standards. The new headteacher has increased expectations and initiated changes that are starting to positively influence student outcomes. While pupils display a strong interest in learning and behaviors are generally good, previous weak teaching has resulted in learning gaps, particularly among older students. The introduction of a new curriculum has broadened learning opportunities, although not all areas have been effectively implemented yet. This report marks the school's first inspection since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has also been taken into account in evaluating its performance.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 327 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 52.6%
Girls: 47.4% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 59.3% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 67.3% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 27.7 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 24.3 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 29.7 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 | 15 | 44 |
| 2 | 24 | 21 | 45 |
| 3 | 26 | 32 | 58 |
| 4 | 21 | 11 | 32 |
| 5 | 27 | 33 | 60 |
| 6 | 30 | 28 | 58 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Pakistani | 33.6% |
| African | 22.3% |
| White, British | 6.7% |
| White, Other | 6.7% |
| Mixed, Other | 4.3% |
| White & Asian | 4% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2.8% |
| Caribbean | 2.4% |
| Asian, Other | 1.8% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.9% |
| Indian | 0.6% |
| Unclassified | 0.3% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Requires Improvement |
| > Quality of education | Requires Improvement |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Good |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Requires Improvement |
| > Early Years Provision | Good |
| Last Report Date | 11 Jul 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 06 Nov 2024 | Monitoring visit |
| 11 Jul 2023 | School inspection: |
| 01 Oct 2019 | School inspection: |
| 06 Dec 2016 | Academy conversion letter |
| 07 Jun 2016 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as Firs Primary School | |
| 07 Jun 2016 | Full inspection: |
| 09 Sep 2014 | Monitoring visit |
| 09 Sep 2014 | Monitoring visit |
| 20 May 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 20 May 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 15 Jan 2013 | Interim assessment |
| 15 Jan 2013 | Interim assessment |
| 22 Sep 2011 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 22 Sep 2011 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 02 Feb 2010 | Full inspection: |
| 02 Feb 2010 | Full inspection: |
| 30 Nov 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 30 Nov 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 16 Mar 2001 | Full inspection |
| 16 Mar 2001 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils display a strong desire to learn and have positive attitudes.
- The school has established a calm and orderly environment.
- The new headteacher has raised expectations and initiated positive changes.
- Pupils benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum with diverse learning opportunities.
- There is strong provision for personal development, offering various activities.
- Effective phonics teaching has improved reading fluency for most pupils.
Areas for Improvement
- Gaps in students' learning due to previous weak teaching.
- Inconsistencies in the use of assessment leading to slower progress.
- Some subject leaders lack the expertise to effectively design or monitor their subjects.
- Not all additional staff provide consistent support for pupils, including those with SEND.
- Leaders do not regularly evaluate the effectiveness of implemented strategies.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 48% | ||
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 7% |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 103 | ||
| Maths | 100 |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | -3.1 | ||
| Writing | -5.1 | ||
| Maths | -2.2 |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 25 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 29 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
Unlock| Name | Distance |
|
St Wilfrid's Catholic Junior and Infant School
Shawsdale Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B36 8LY |
0.1 miles |
|
Heathlands Primary Academy
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0.38 miles |
|
Tame Valley Academy
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0.56 miles |
|
Hodge Hill Primary School
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0.6 miles |
|
St Mary and St Margaret's Church of England Aided Primary School
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0.73 miles |
|
Colebourne Primary School
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0.78 miles |
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Beaufort School
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0.79 miles |
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Beaufort School
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Chivenor Primary School
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0.92 miles |
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Brownmead Primary Academy
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Castle Vale Nursery School
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1.1 miles |
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Audley Primary School
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1.15 miles |
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Topcliffe Primary School
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1.21 miles |
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Gunter Primary School
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1.21 miles |
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Ward End Primary School
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1.29 miles |
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St Peter and St Paul RC Junior and Infant School
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1.34 miles |
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Timberley Academy
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1.38 miles |
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Paget Primary School
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1.41 miles |
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St Cuthbert's RC Junior and Infant (NC) School
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1.41 miles |
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Thornton Primary School
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| Name | Distance |
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Hodge Hill Girls' School
Bromford Road, Hodge Hill, Birmingham, West Midlands, B36 8EY |
0.67 miles |
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Braidwood School for the Deaf
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0.74 miles |
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Hodge Hill College
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0.79 miles |
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Washwood Heath Academy
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1.18 miles |
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Riverside Education
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1.37 miles |
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Blackwater Academy
14 Riverside Drive, Stechford, Birmingham, B33 9BF |
1.38 miles |
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Lift Greenwood
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1.4 miles |
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SILVER BIRCH SCHOOL
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1.4 miles |
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Erdington Academy
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1.69 miles |
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Park Hall Academy
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1.69 miles |
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Kitts Green Academy
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1.7 miles |
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Queensbury School
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1.84 miles |
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Hallmoor School
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1.86 miles |
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Saltley Academy
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1.87 miles |
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Castlewood School
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Tile Cross Academy
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1.96 miles |
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Rockwood Academy
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2.01 miles |
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The Heights Academy
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2.01 miles |
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Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Birmingham East
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2.02 miles |
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Centre for Accelerated Learning
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2.09 miles |