Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School

Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School is performing well overall, with a strong focus on creating a safe and inclusive environment for its pupils. Leaders emphasize the importance of safeguarding and have established effective partnerships with parents and external agencies. Most pupils achieve the expected standards in reading, writing, and mathematics by the end of Year 6, with notable strengths in writing and phonics. Attendance is high, and pupils demonstrate positive behaviors and relationships, contributing to a supportive school culture. However, there are concerns regarding the consistency of the curriculum delivery and the need for further improvement in certain areas of learning. While the school has identified some gaps and plans to address them, there is still work to be done to ensure all pupils make strong progress. Teachers are encouraged to enhance their understanding of effective curriculum implementation, especially for pupils who have already secured intended learning outcomes. Overall, while the school has many strengths, it is crucial to continue addressing these areas for development.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well in reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Writing standards are above the national average.
• High pupil attendance and strong behavioral expectations.
• Effective partnerships with parents and external agencies.
• Positive relationships and a supportive school culture.
• Strong emphasis on safeguarding, creating a safe environment.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent delivery of the curriculum across subjects.
• Some pupils do not deepen their understanding sufficiently.
• Certain early years activities do not move children on quickly enough.

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 Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.9% 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, 0.3% of pupils at Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School 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 Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School had 22.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.3% 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, 11.6% of pupils at Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.0% 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 Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School received £6,610 and spent £6,823 for each of its 312 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £113,000 (£363 per pupil).

Across all 20 schools of Elements Diocesan Learning Trust, income was £7,945 and spending £8,026 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 Kingswinford · Dudley local authority: places and applications

Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School is part of Elements Diocesan Learning Trust, which runs 20 schools. The nearest others:

• St Mary's CofE Primary School Kingswinford
• Jesson's Church of England Primary School Dudley
• Netherton CofE Primary School Dudley
• Pedmore CE Primary School Stourbridge
• Christ Church CofE Primary School Bilston
• St Oswald's CofE Primary School Kidderminster
• Martley CofE Primary School Worcester
• Broadheath CofE Primary School Worcester
• Crowle CofE Primary School Worcester
• Rushwick CofE Primary School Worcester

What is Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School have?

Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School has 303 pupils on roll.

What age range does Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School cover?

Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School?

Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School is at New Street, Wall Heath, Kingswinford, West Midlands, DY6 9AH.