Bhylls Acre Primary School

Bhylls Acre Primary School is a 221-pupil primary in Wolverhampton and part of Ignite Learning Partnership Multi Academy Trust. Since the previous inspection it has experienced significant leadership and staffing changes, including joining the trust in 2023 and the arrival of a permanent head of school and executive headteacher. Inspectors found the school has stabilised and is meeting the expected standard across achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing. Safeguarding standards are met. Pupils are described as happy, safe and included, attendance is regular, behaviour is calm and respectful, the curriculum is broad and ambitious, early years provision has been strengthened, and leadership, governance and staff morale are strong. There are still areas for further development. Some older pupils have gaps in writing linked to previous weaknesses in provision, and a few do not write with consistent accuracy or neatness. Teaching is generally clear, but teachers sometimes do not probe pupils' understanding deeply enough, which can mean misconceptions are missed or learning is not extended. Curriculum adaptations for pupils with SEND are not always precisely matched to individual needs, and early years adult interactions vary in how well they extend children's language and thinking. Recent published outcomes in reading and mathematics were below national averages in 2024/25, and disadvantaged pupils' attainment gaps remain wide, although leaders are working to close gaps and the report notes that pupils typically achieve in line with national averages over time.

Strengths

• Inclusive culture where pupils feel welcomed, valued and safe
• Effective leadership and trust support have secured stability and improvement
• Strong and effective governance with informed challenge and support
• Broad and ambitious curriculum with clear progression
• Strong early years provision that prepares children well for Year 1
• Effective support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils
• High-quality pastoral care and personal development programme
• Pupils attend regularly and persistent absence has reduced
• Calm, positive behaviour and respectful relationships
• Pupils benefit from enriching opportunities and leadership roles
• Staff morale is high and professional learning is well planned
• Safeguarding standards are met

Areas for Improvement

• Some older pupils have gaps in writing and a few do not write accurately or neatly
• Teachers sometimes do not probe pupils' understanding deeply enough, missing chances to extend thinking or address misconceptions
• Curriculum adaptations for pupils with SEND are occasionally not precisely matched to individual needs
• Task choices by staff sometimes limit what a few pupils can complete during lessons
• Early years adult interactions vary, sometimes missing opportunities to extend children's language and thinking
• Recent Year 6 outcomes in reading and mathematics were below national averages in 2024/25
• Disadvantaged pupils' attainment gaps in reading, writing and mathematics remain wide in recent data

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 Bhylls Acre Primary School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.5% 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, 0.5% of pupils at Bhylls Acre 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 Bhylls Acre Primary School had 25.6 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, 12.1% of pupils at Bhylls Acre Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.0% 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 Bhylls Acre Primary School received £5,824 and spent £5,939 for each of its 216 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £55,000 (£255 per pupil).

Across all 4 schools of Ignite Learning Partnership, income was £6,188 and spending £6,135 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 Wolverhampton · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

Bhylls Acre Primary School is part of Ignite Learning Partnership, which runs 4 schools. The nearest others:

• St Andrew's Church of England Primary School Wolverhampton
• Parkfield Primary School Wolverhampton
• St Stephen's Church of England Primary School Wolverhampton

What is Bhylls Acre Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bhylls Acre Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Bhylls Acre Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bhylls Acre Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Bhylls Acre Primary School have?

Bhylls Acre Primary School has 207 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bhylls Acre Primary School cover?

Bhylls Acre Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Bhylls Acre Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 53% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bhylls Acre Primary School?

Bhylls Acre Primary School is at Bhylls Lane, Castlecroft, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV3 8DZ.