Chadsmead Primary Academy

Chadsmead Primary Academy is a smaller-than-average primary in the Community Academies Trust. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and inspectors found a school where relationships are central, pupils feel safe and welcomed, and behaviour is exceptionally strong. Pupils concentrate well in lessons, are polite and confident, and show high levels of respect at social times and in the community. The early years provision gets children off to a calm and purposeful start, and reading and phonics are well established, with more pupils now reading at the expected standard. The curriculum is being improved and music is a particular strength, with pupils recalling their learning enthusiastically and having many opportunities to perform and play instruments. Pupils with SEND are identified clearly and supported through well-trained staff, although their writing tasks in class do not always match their precise stage of learning. In a small number of other subjects, teachers do not check understanding well enough, so misconceptions and gaps are not picked up quickly. Pupils also have limited depth of understanding about different faiths and cultures. Leadership is well supported by committed governors and the trust, and staff are highly dedicated and positive about school leaders. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The main priorities are to make assessment more consistent across subjects and to ensure writing tasks closely match pupils’ current ability, including for pupils with SEND.

Strengths

• Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons, at social times and in the community
• Kind, caring staff place relationships with pupils at the heart of the school
• Pupils feel safe and welcomed, and attendance is eager and regular
• Early years children settle quickly and learn in a calm, purposeful environment
• Reading and phonics are prioritised and well established, with more pupils meeting the expected standard
• Pupils with SEND are identified clearly and supported through well-trained staff
• The curriculum is being redesigned and builds incrementally from early years
• Music is a strength, with pupils recalling key information and performing widely
• Pupils enjoy clubs, visits and trust collaboration, including recent success in a trust 'Bake-off'
• Governors are committed and well-informed, and the trust provides strong support
• Staff are highly dedicated and leaders are well respected by staff, pupils and parents
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding well enough, so misconceptions and gaps are not identified quickly
• Some pupils, including those with SEND, are given writing tasks that are too complex for their current ability
• Pupils do not yet have a deep understanding of different faiths and cultures

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 Chadsmead Primary Academy attended 96.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.9% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Chadsmead 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 Chadsmead Primary Academy had 18.1 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, 23.9% of pupils at Chadsmead Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.1% 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 Chadsmead Primary Academy received £7,195 and spent £8,109 for each of its 199 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £132,000 (£663 per pupil).

Across all 17 schools of Community Academies Trust, income was £7,309 and spending £7,301 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 Lichfield · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

Chadsmead Primary Academy is part of Community Academies Trust, which runs 17 schools. The nearest others:

• Millfield Primary School Tamworth
• The Woodlands Community Primary School Tamworth
• Stoneydelph Primary School Tamworth
• The Wilnecote School Tamworth
• The Polesworth School Tamworth
• Birchwood Primary School Tamworth
• Dordon Primary School Tamworth
• Wood End Primary School Atherstone
• Grange Park Primary School Telford
• Windmill Primary School Telford

What is Chadsmead Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chadsmead Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Chadsmead Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Chadsmead Primary Academy was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Chadsmead Primary Academy have?

Chadsmead Primary Academy has 188 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chadsmead Primary Academy cover?

Chadsmead Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

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

Where is Chadsmead Primary Academy?

Chadsmead Primary Academy is at Friday Acre, Lichfield, WS13 7HJ.