Buildwas Academy, Telford
Buildwas Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Telford, part of Mighty Oaks Academy Trust Ltd. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 38th-highest of the 40 schools in Telford with published results, and 13,208th of 14,452 across England. It was 79% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Shropshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Buildwas Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils at Buildwas Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 58% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Shropshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 100% in reading and 71% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Buildwas Academy
For September 2026 entry, 5 families put Buildwas Academy as their first choice and 11 named it as one of their preferences, for 6 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Buildwas Academy are Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge CofE Primary Academy (1.8 miles); Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge CofE Primary School (1.8 miles, Requires improvement, 63% reading, 50% maths); Lightmoor Village Primary School (2.3 miles, Good, 80% reading, 77% maths); and Christ Church Church of England Primary School (2.7 miles).
Buildwas Academy's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.
Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge CofE Primary AcademyCoalbrookdale and Ironbridge CofE Primary SchoolLightmoor Village Primary SchoolChrist Church Church of England Primary School
The trust
Buildwas Academy is one of 2 schools run by Mighty Oaks Academy Trust Ltd, an academy trust.
Who goes there
0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (93%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 4 pupils (7.4%) received SEN support and 3 (5.6%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Buildwas Academy had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Buildwas Academy.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Junction (adjacent), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 3 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Shropshire (10).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Buildwas Academy issued 12 suspensions, 16 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Following a period of decline in pupils' outcomes, new leaders have raised the expectations for what pupils can achieve. Pupils are beginning to benefit from positive changes happening at Buildwas Academy. Gaps in pupils' knowledge are now being addressed across the school. Pupils are rising to these higher expectations.
Positive relationships between pupils and staff are very important here. Pupils speak highly of the adults and show great respect towards them. Any unkind behaviour, such as bullying, is dealt with quickly and sensitively. Pupils share their worries with named adults. As a result, pupils say they feel happy and safe.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes. New leaders, including new trustees and governors, swiftly identified that standards in pupils' education were in decline. New curriculum plans were quickly put in place and gaps in pupils' knowledge were identified. This work is starting to make a positive difference, particularly in the early years.
In mathematics and English, particularly in writing, there is variation across the school in pupils' outcomes. This is because, over time, gaps in pupils' knowledge have not been addressed and pupils have fallen behind in their learning. Staff now deliver the curriculum well. In addition, new assessment systems help staff to identify what pupils know and where there are gaps in pupils' knowledge. Pupils also receive targeted additional support. Subsequently, pupils are beginning to catch up in their learning.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Quality of education (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
31.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 100% to 58% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 71% to 58% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 71% to 33% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
18.0
Avg class size
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Buildwas Academy
Term dates
Buildwas Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Shropshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Buildwas Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Buildwas Academy is in Shropshire; for families living there:
Apply to Shropshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 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
Your chances of a place at Buildwas Academy
Will you get a place at Buildwas Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Buildwas Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Buildwas Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Buildwas Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Shropshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Buildwas Academy for 2016 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Shropshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
79%
Available places
69 pupils
87 places
18 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Telford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Telford
Across Shropshire council
Places available
3,420
Applications
2,582
Got 1st preference
97.4%
Got preferred school
99.8%
All primary applications across Shropshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
13.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
54
Total Pupils
17
Boys
37
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
10.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,666
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,613
Per pupil
£563k
Total funding
£9k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.3%
Overall absence
23.3%
Persistent absence
60
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Buildwas Academy
What are SATs results like at Buildwas Academy?
Of the pupils at Buildwas Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 58% reached the expected standard in reading and 58% did so in maths.
What is Buildwas Academy's Ofsted rating?
Buildwas Academy was rated Requires Improvement at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2019 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Buildwas Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Buildwas Academy is oversubscribed, Shropshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Buildwas Academy?
Buildwas Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 79% of its 87 places.
How big are the classes at Buildwas Academy?
Classes at Buildwas Academy average 18 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Buildwas Academy?
Buildwas Academy has around 54 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Buildwas Academy?
6.3% of sessions were missed at Buildwas Academy in 2024/25. 23.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Buildwas Academy?
Apply through Shropshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Buildwas Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Buildwas Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Buildwas Academy?
Buildwas Academy is at Buildwas Road, Buildwas, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 7DA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)