Dorrington Academy, Birmingham

Ofsted's report card from its 30 June 2026 inspection grades Dorrington Academy on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Pupils' needs are identified accurately and promptly because leaders have established effective systems for understanding pupils' circumstances and reducing barriers to learning and wellbeing."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Overall, pupils are well prepared for their next stages of education."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils attend school regularly and benefit from leaders' clear approach to promoting good attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Pupils experience a broad and ambitious curriculum."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children in the early years benefit from a caring, calm and well organised environment where staff know them well and respond sensitively to their needs."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have a detailed knowledge of the school's context and the community it serves."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils experience a broad personal development programme that reflects leaders' clear priorities for pupils' wellbeing, confidence and wider development."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that the teaching of writing is consistently effective so that pupils secure the foundational writing skills needed for future learning"; "Leaders should continue to use an evidence-informed approach to further develop teachers' subject knowledge and pedagogy to ensure consistently strong teaching across all subjects and year groups"; "Leaders should ensure that recent improvements in attendance are sustained over time"; "Leaders should strengthen the relationships, sex and health education curriculum so that older pupils develop a secure and detailed knowledge to ensure they are very well prepared for life beyond school"; "Leaders should improve outdoor learning opportunities in early years so that provision matches the ambition and quality of indoor learning".

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Dorrington Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Birmingham and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 60% in reading and 76% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 84 families put Dorrington Academy as their first choice and 167 named it as one of their preferences, for 88 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Dorrington Academy are St Mark's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles, 80% reading, 77% maths); Cherry Orchard Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 78% reading, 83% maths); Grestone Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 66% reading, 79% maths); and Ferndale Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 81% reading, 71% maths).

Dorrington Academy's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Dorrington Academy is run by its own single-school academy trust.

40 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Dorrington Academy (as of September 2025): 90% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 77% 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 supports their child's wider development (75%).

35.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 35.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (67%), Mixed (12%) and Black (10%).

In 2026, 121 pupils (18.6%) received SEN support and 6 (0.9%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Hamstead (Birmingham) Rail Station, about 430 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tower Hill (before), 170 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 227 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Birmingham (435).

In 2024/25, Dorrington Academy issued 15 suspensions, 2.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Dorrington Academy are Hamstead Hall Academy (0.8 miles) and Arena Academy (1 mile).