Abbey Infant School, Smethwick
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Abbey Infant School excels at helping children progress quickly from their starting points, with pupils achieving above average standards by the end of Year 2. Teachers build strong relationships with pupils and adapt work to suit different abilities, meaning all groups of pupils - including those with special needs and disadvantaged pupils - make good progress. The school has made impressive improvements since being judged inadequate, showing real commitment to raising standards.
Key Strengths
- Pupils make good progress from their starting points with standards in English and mathematics above age expectations and improving
- Teaching quality has improved to good, with some outstanding lessons leading to exceptional progress
- Children in Nursery and Reception get a good start with engaging learning activities tailored to their needs
- Pupils behave well, feel safe and cared for, with improving attendance rates
- The federation with Abbey Junior School has helped raise standards through better understanding of pupil capabilities
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not check pupils' work frequently enough during lessons, missing opportunities to provide additional challenge
- Attendance, while improving, has not yet reached consistently above average levels
- Leaders do not give individual high-performing teachers clear targets for reaching outstanding practice
- Governors do not receive enough termly data about different pupil groups' progress to ask challenging questions
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the school has proper systems in place to check the suitability of employees who work with children.
Abbey Infant School has improved significantly since being judged inadequate in 2012 and is now a good school. Leaders and managers have successfully tackled weaknesses, resulting in improved teaching quality and pupil achievement across the school.
At a Glance
12.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
28.1
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
7
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
104%
Over capacity
280 pupils
270 capacity
10 places over capacity
Area Demand Pressure - Smethwick
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Smethwick
Admissions Demand - Sandwell
Places available
4,920
Applications
3,904
Got 1st preference
93.8%
Got preferred school
98.2%
Primary admissions across Sandwell (2025/26)
Inspection History(7)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7667%
Overall absence
7.82123%
Persistent absence
179
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Abbey Infant School
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