Grove Vale Primary School, Birmingham
Grove Vale Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Birmingham. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 18th-highest of the 275 schools in Birmingham with published results, and 1,291st of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.4 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Sandwell (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Grove Vale Primary School in detail
Grove Vale Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "If your child is to join us for the first time, we would like to take this opportunity to welcome you as parents and look forward to a happy and successful association over the coming years. If you already have a child here, we are pleased to continue the long lasting relationship between Grove Vale and your family."
Coming up: an open day on Sunday 1 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Sandwell
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at Grove Vale Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 92% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 75% in Sandwell and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 87% in reading and 86% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Grove Vale Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 82 families put Grove Vale Primary School as their first choice and 179 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 24 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Grove Vale Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Grove Vale Primary School are Holy Name Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles); Ferndale Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 81% reading, 71% maths); Hamstead Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 74% reading, 79% maths); and St Margaret's CofE Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 76% reading, 72% maths).
Grove Vale Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Holy Name Catholic Primary SchoolFerndale Primary SchoolHamstead Primary SchoolSt Margaret's CofE Primary School
Who goes there
13.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 55.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (61%), White British (17%) and Black (11%).
In 2026, 44 pupils (10.5%) received SEN support and 11 (2.6%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hamstead Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Monksfield Avenue (opposite), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 148 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Sandwell (306).
Suspensions and exclusions
Grove Vale Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Grove Vale Primary School are Q3 Academy Great Barr (0.5 miles) and Hamstead Hall Academy (1.1 miles).
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; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; 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 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?
Pupils achieve exceptionally well at this inclusive school. Pupils are happy, well cared for and feel highly valued by their teachers. The whole school community demonstrates the school's motto of 'together we grow'. Respectful working relationships between staff and pupils lie at the heart of Grove Vale Primary School.
Behaviour across school is exemplary. Pupils are polite and courteous. They hold doors open for one another and wait politely while others speak. Pupils warmly welcome visitors to their school. They are proud to introduce themselves as the 'Grove Valers'.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. These high expectations are set from the very start in early years. Pupils achieve very well here.
The ambitious curriculum provides pupils with the knowledge and skills they need across all subject areas. Leaders have thoughtfully designed a curriculum to provide pupils with a rich set of wider opportunities. Pupils' knowledge builds over time in a clear and logical way. Many pupils join speaking English as an additional language. Developing pupils' oracy and English language skills underpins the curriculum, starting in the early years. Consequently, pupils use subject-specific vocabulary well and construct accurate oral sentences.
From Ofsted's July 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 Outstanding at its July 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
13.1%
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 remained stable at around 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 86% to 92% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.1
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.1
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Grove Vale Primary School
Nursery and Reception Open Day November 2026
11 Jun 2026
September 2026 Starters
18 Apr 2026
Partnerships With UNICEF
19 Sep 2024
From Grove Vale Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Grove Vale Primary School
Term dates
Grove Vale Primary 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 Grove Vale Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Grove Vale Primary 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
- 5
- Children hurt
- 2
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, 5 serious and 10 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
8 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
Your chances of a place at Grove Vale Primary School
Will you get a place at Grove Vale Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Grove Vale Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Grove Vale Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Grove Vale Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Sandwell, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Grove Vale Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Sandwell 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
421 pupils
420 places
1 pupil over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Birmingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Birmingham
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.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
44
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
13.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
421
Total Pupils
203
Boys
218
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
23.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,522
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,163
Per pupil
£2352k
Total funding
£79k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.6%
Overall absence
8.8%
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
Grove Vale Primary School
Questions parents ask about Grove Vale Primary School
What are SATs results like at Grove Vale Primary School?
Of the pupils at Grove Vale Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 92% did so in maths.
What is Grove Vale Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Grove Vale Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024.
What is the catchment area for Grove Vale Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Grove Vale Primary 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 Grove Vale Primary School?
Grove Vale Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Grove Vale Primary School?
Classes at Grove Vale Primary School average 30.1 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 Grove Vale Primary School?
Grove Vale Primary School has around 421 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Grove Vale Primary School?
4.6% of sessions were missed at Grove Vale Primary School in 2024/25. 8.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Grove Vale Primary School?
Apply through Sandwell's coordinated admissions process, naming Grove Vale Primary School 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.
What are Grove Vale Primary School's term dates?
Grove Vale Primary 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 Grove Vale Primary 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, 5 serious and 10 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 8 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 Grove Vale Primary School?
Grove Vale Primary School is at Monksfield Avenue, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B43 6AL.
Sources: Sandwell term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)