Lightwoods Primary Academy

Lightwoods Primary Academy is performing well overall, with several outstanding aspects that contribute to a positive educational environment. The school has successfully fostered an atmosphere where pupils thrive and develop strong relationships with both peers and teachers, leading to excellent attendance and engagement. A robust curriculum that extends beyond academics, coupled with high expectations from staff and leaders, has resulted in pupils making strong progress across subjects, particularly in reading and mathematics. Despite these strengths, the school faces some challenges in consistently assessing knowledge in foundation subjects, leading to occasional gaps in learning. However, the school's commitment to improving and supporting its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, remains a significant focus. This inspection marks the school's first since its establishment, following the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it clearly demonstrates the positive strides made in providing quality education.

Strengths

• Outstanding behaviour and attitudes of pupils.
• Strong commitment to reading across all year groups.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Welcoming and nurturing environment for pupils.
• Broad and engaging curriculum that promotes personal development.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent assessment of knowledge in foundation subjects leading to potential gaps in learning.

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 Lightwoods Primary Academy attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.6% 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, 0.7% of pupils at Lightwoods 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 Lightwoods Primary Academy had 22.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.5% 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, 10.2% of pupils at Lightwoods Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.7% 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 Lightwoods Primary Academy received £7,644 and spent £7,556 for each of its 405 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £144,000 (£355 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, income was £8,510 and spending £8,348 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 Sandwell · Sandwell local authority: places and applications

Lightwoods Primary Academy is part of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• Shireland Collegiate Academy Smethwick
• Shireland Technology Primary Smethwick
• Newfield Park Primary Academy Halesowen
• West Bromwich Collegiate Academy West Bromwich
• Shireland Biomedical Utc West Bromwich
• Shireland CBSO Academy West Bromwich
• Thorns Collegiate Academy Brierley Hill
• Tameside Primary Academy Wednesbury
• Holyhead Primary Academy Wednesbury
• Wallbrook Primary Academy Bilston

What is Lightwoods Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Lightwoods Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Lightwoods Primary Academy was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Lightwoods Primary Academy have?

Lightwoods Primary Academy has 413 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lightwoods Primary Academy cover?

Lightwoods Primary Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lightwoods Primary Academy?

Lightwoods Primary Academy is at Castle Road East, Oldbury, Sandwell, West Midlands, B68 9BG.