Abbey Junior School, Smethwick
Abbey Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Smethwick. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 15 schools in Smethwick with published results, and 5,775th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Capacity
- 99% full
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Abbey Junior School in detail
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at Abbey Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 75% in Sandwell and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 66% in reading and 74% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Abbey Junior School
Across Sandwell, 94% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Sandwell lodged 79 appeals against primary school offers; 55 reached a hearing and 1 succeeded (1.8% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Abbey Junior School are Abbey Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); St Gregory's Catholic Primary School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 70% reading, 60% maths); Annie Lennard Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 66% reading, 69% maths); and Bearwood Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 79% reading, 73% maths).
Abbey Junior School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Abbey Infant SchoolSt Gregory's Catholic Primary SchoolAnnie Lennard Primary SchoolBearwood Primary School
What parents say
71 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Abbey Junior School (as of September 2025): 85% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 62% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (62%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 25 pupils (7%) received SEN support and 7 (2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
Staffing
Abbey Junior School had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 27 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Smethwick Rolfe Street Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barclay Road (adjacent), 30 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Abbey Junior School issued 7 suspensions, 2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Abbey Junior School are Lordswood Boys' School (0.7 miles), Bristnall Hall Academy (0.8 miles), King Edward VI Lordswood School for Girls (0.8 miles) and Shireland Collegiate Academy (0.9 miles).
Lordswood Boys' SchoolBristnall Hall AcademyKing Edward VI Lordswood School for GirlsShireland Collegiate Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from April 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Abbey Junior School excels at creating a happy, secure environment where pupils thrive and behave exceptionally well. The school offers a rich curriculum with excellent support for reading and a wide range of activities that help pupils become confident, thoughtful young people. Strong teaching and clear expectations mean pupils achieve well and are well prepared for secondary school.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum that is carefully sequenced to build knowledge step by step
- Exceptional pupil behaviour and engagement in lessons, with pupils showing strong attitudes to learning
- Reading is central to the curriculum with targeted support for pupils who fall behind
- High attendance rates through effective systems and family engagement
- Extensive personal development opportunities including theatre visits, residential experiences and sporting activities
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not always check pupils' understanding thoroughly enough, meaning some pupils who need extra help or are ready to progress are not supported as well as they could be
- School should ensure all teachers have the skills to make effective checks on learning and adjust teaching to meet all pupils' needs
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective and the school has created an open, positive culture around safeguarding that prioritises pupils' interests.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre visits, residential experiences, sporting activities, playground buddies scheme, eco warriors programme, health and safety council, reading bus, breakfast club, after-school clubs
Abbey Junior School has successfully maintained the good standards identified at its previous inspection. Pupils are proud to attend the school, which provides a welcoming, caring environment where they achieve well across a broad and engaging curriculum.
At a Glance
22.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
71 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 66% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 74% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 76% to 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
29.8
KS2
12
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Abbey Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Abbey Junior School.
- Premier Education Holiday Camp St Gregorys Catholic Primary School230m away · Not yet graded
- Inspiro Tuition Academy630m away · Not yet graded
- 4 Community Trust Uplands and Breakaway Club830m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Abbey Junior School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Sandwell. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Abbey Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Abbey Junior School is in Sandwell; for families living there:
Apply to Sandwell for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 14 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Sandwell is 26.5 (the median across 134 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
356 pupils
361 places
5 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Smethwick
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Smethwick
Across Sandwell council
Places available
4,920
Applications
3,985
Got 1st preference
94.1%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Sandwell council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
25
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
9.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
357
Total Pupils
179
Boys
178
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
27.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,790
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,430
Per pupil
£2149k
Total funding
£130k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.8%
Overall absence
6.6%
Persistent absence
365
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Abbey Junior School
What are SATs results like at Abbey Junior School?
Of the pupils at Abbey Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% did so in maths.
What is Abbey Junior School's Ofsted rating?
Abbey Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Abbey Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When Abbey Junior School is oversubscribed, Sandwell allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Abbey Junior School?
Abbey Junior School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Abbey Junior School?
Classes at Abbey Junior School average 29.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Abbey Junior School?
Abbey Junior School has around 357 pupils on roll. 22% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Abbey Junior School?
3.8% of sessions were missed at Abbey Junior School in 2024/25. 6.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Abbey Junior School?
Apply through Sandwell's coordinated admissions process, naming Abbey Junior School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Abbey Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Abbey Junior School: Premier Education Holiday Camp St Gregorys Catholic Primary School (230m away, registered, not yet graded), Inspiro Tuition Academy (630m away, registered, not yet graded) and 4 Community Trust Uplands and Breakaway Club (830m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Abbey Junior School's term dates?
Abbey Junior School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Sandwell. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027).
How many road collisions happen near Abbey Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 14 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Sandwell is 26.5 (the median across 134 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Abbey Junior School?
Abbey Junior School is at Barclay Road, Smethwick, West Midlands, B67 5LT.
Sources: Sandwell term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)