Elm Tree Primary Academy, Wednesbury
Elm Tree Primary Academy is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Wednesbury, part of Victoria Academies Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Elm Tree Primary Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Elm Tree Primary Academy are Myles Academy (0.9 miles, Outstanding); Hamilton School (1.3 miles, Outstanding); Hopwood Hall School (1.9 miles); and Queen Alexandra College (2.1 miles, Good).
Myles AcademyHamilton SchoolHopwood Hall SchoolQueen Alexandra College
The trust
Elm Tree Primary Academy is one of 11 schools run by Victoria Academies Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
21 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Elm Tree Primary Academy (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (76%).
Who goes there
46.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 8.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (45%), Asian (26%) and Mixed (16%).
Almost every pupil at Elm Tree Primary Academy has an education, health and care plan (125 of 125 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Smethwick Rolfe Street Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Matthew's School (opposite), 200 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Elm Tree Primary Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 573 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and vehicle crime. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Sandwell (306), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Elm Tree Primary Academy issued 4 suspensions, 4.5 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Elm Tree is a school that genuinely celebrates each child's unique strengths and creates a caring environment where neurodiverse pupils flourish. Staff work closely with families and external specialists to understand and meet each child's individual needs. Pupils are eager to attend and benefit from rich learning experiences, therapeutic support and real-world practice opportunities.
Key Strengths
- Celebrates neurodiversity and creates a secure, supportive environment where pupils feel confident and empowered
- Strong assessment of pupils' precise needs with collaboration between staff and external specialists like speech therapists and occupational therapists
- High attendance rates - staff work closely with families to overcome barriers that previously caused pupils to miss school
- Thoughtful approach to reading with skilled use of communication strategies, phonics and assisted language displays
- Rich enrichment activities including therapeutic interventions, swimming, trips to museums, theatres and places of worship
Areas for Improvement
- Communication systems are not consistently implemented by all staff - some pupils don't receive the spoken language, symbols or signing support they need
- Some pupils who have learned practical life skills like shopping and road safety in lessons have not yet had chances to practise these in real community settings
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders creating an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Swimming lessons, therapy dog support (Toffee), sensory circuits, rebound therapy, drawing and talking therapy, visits to museums, theatres and places of worship, school council
Elm Tree Primary Academy is a special school for neurodiverse pupils, including those with autism, that has grown from 18 to 90 pupils since opening in 2022. The school creates an inclusive environment where every pupil is valued and receives tailored education.
At a Glance
46.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
21 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Elm Tree Primary Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Elm Tree Primary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Elm Tree Primary Academy 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
- 78
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 12
- Children hurt
- 10
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 78 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 12 serious and 66 slight.
10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
22 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
125 pupils
126 places
1 spare place
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Wednesbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wednesbury
Across Sandwell council
Places available
5,146
Applications
4,404
Got 1st preference
80.8%
Got preferred school
95.8%
All secondary applications across Sandwell council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
125
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
125
Total Pupils
79
Boys
46
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
7.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,170
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.4%
Overall absence
21.3%
Persistent absence
80
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Elm Tree Primary Academy
Questions parents ask about Elm Tree Primary Academy
What is the catchment area for Elm Tree Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Elm Tree Primary Academy is oversubscribed, Sandwell allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Elm Tree Primary Academy?
Elm Tree Primary Academy has around 125 pupils on roll. 46% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Elm Tree Primary Academy?
9.4% of sessions were missed at Elm Tree Primary Academy in 2024/25. 21.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Elm Tree Primary Academy?
Apply through Sandwell's coordinated admissions process, naming Elm Tree Primary Academy 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.
How many road collisions happen near Elm Tree Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 78 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 12 serious and 66 slight. 10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 22 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 Elm Tree Primary Academy?
Elm Tree Primary Academy is at Friar Park Road, Wednesbury, WS10 0TB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)