Ferndale Primary School, Birmingham
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Ferndale Primary School excels at helping children with additional needs make excellent progress, particularly through its specialist provisions like The Cove. Teachers build strong relationships with pupils and create an enjoyable learning environment where children are proud to attend. The school has transformed pupils' confidence and skills, with many starting well below age-expected levels and reaching average standards by Year 6.
Key Strengths
- Teaching assistants make particularly effective contributions when working with pupils in small groups
- Pupils in The Cove make excellent progress in developing skills and confidence
- Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress
- Teachers know their pupils well and make learning enjoyable
- Behaviour and attendance are good, with pupils proud of their school
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils at Key Stage 1 have not done well enough over time
- Leaders do not make effective use of data to check progress of different pupil groups
- Many leaders are new to their roles and have yet to have full impact
- Most-able pupils are not always set challenging enough work
- Homework is not set consistently across the school and parents are unsure of expectations
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the inspection team reviewed safety and safeguarding information as part of their documentation review.
Extracurricular Activities
Physical education and games, fitness sessions, primary school sport funding activities
Ferndale Primary School is a good school where most pupils make good progress from starting points well below age expectations, typically reaching average standards by the end of Year 6. The school has declined from its previous Outstanding rating due to inconsistent leadership impact and underperformance at Key Stage 1.
At a Glance
32.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability, ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 64% to 81%. Maths has improved from 54% to 71%. Writing has remained stable at around 68%.
Class Sizes
27.9
Avg class size
31.0
Infant (KS1)
28.8
KS2
18
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
1 unlawfully large infant class
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
81%
Available places
551 pupils
678 capacity
127 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Birmingham
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Birmingham
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(107)
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
4.70755%
Overall absence
9.73085%
Persistent absence
483
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
Ferndale Primary School
Nearby Schools
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