Nelson Mandela School, Birmingham
Nelson Mandela School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Birmingham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 174th-highest of the 275 schools in Birmingham with published results, and 8,749th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (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 Birmingham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Nelson Mandela School in detail
Nelson Mandela School in its own words
The school runs after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils at Nelson Mandela School reached the expected standard in reading and 79% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Birmingham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (68% in reading, 76% in maths).
Getting a place at Nelson Mandela School
For September 2026 entry, 47 families put Nelson Mandela School as their first choice and 179 named it as one of their preferences, for 52 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Nelson Mandela School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Nelson Mandela School are Clifton Primary School (0.1 miles, Good, 73% reading, 85% maths); Ladypool Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 76% reading, 73% maths); Conway Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 61% reading, 69% maths); and Anderton Park Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 65% reading, 75% maths).
Nelson Mandela School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Clifton Primary SchoolLadypool Primary SchoolConway Primary SchoolAnderton Park Primary School
Who goes there
49.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 69.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (78%) and other ethnic groups (12%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Small Heath Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brunswick Road (opposite), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Nelson Mandela School 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 749 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, vehicle crime and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Birmingham (435), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Nelson Mandela School issued 10 suspensions, 2.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Nelson Mandela School are Ark Boulton Academy (0.6 miles) and Ark St Alban's Academy (0.9 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
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?
This is a 'Rights Respecting School'. This means the school places pupils' rights at the heart of its ethos and curriculum. The award underpins and validates the high level of respect that adults and pupils afford one another. The school is a community school in every sense of the word. It works in close collaboration with parents and carers, and pupils are actively involved in supporting community events. These include litter picking and supporting a food bank.
The school has high expectations of pupils' work and behaviour. Pupils meet these expectations. Presentation in their books is excellent. Pupils understand and follow the behaviour systems in place. They show positive attitudes to learning and enjoy talking about what they are doing. Pupils feel safe at school. They know they can talk to a trusted adult and that they will be listened to.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has ensured that there is a well-thought-out curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff receive suitable subject training to ensure they deliver the curriculum as intended. The school invests heavily in support staff so that all pupils get the attention and support they need in lessons.
In reading, writing and mathematics, the school has established robust and effective systems to check pupils' understanding and ability, and track their progress. As a result, pupils achieve well in these subjects and outcomes are rising and close to, or above the national average at the end of each key stage. However, in some other subjects, assessment systems are variable and less well developed. This means staff do not consistently identify where gaps in knowledge exist to inform future planning.
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 Good at its July 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Early years (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
49.9%
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 69% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 79% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 72% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.9
Avg class size
27.5
Infant (KS1)
29.9
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
Keep up with Nelson Mandela School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Nelson Mandela School.
- Street Futures210m away · Not yet graded
- The Nest at St Paul's Venture540m away · Not yet graded
- The Astute Childcare650m away · Not yet graded
- Moseley Holiday and After School Club730m away · Not yet graded
- Our Little Journey970m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Nelson Mandela School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Birmingham. 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)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Nelson Mandela School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Nelson Mandela School is in Birmingham; for families living there:
- How to apply: Travel passes for 5 to 16 year olds
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 185
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 37
- Children hurt
- 19
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 185 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 37 serious and 147 slight.
19 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 11 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 7 in a vehicle or otherwise.
25 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 Birmingham is 41 (the median across 517 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 Nelson Mandela School
Will you get a place at Nelson Mandela School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Nelson Mandela School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Nelson Mandela School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Nelson Mandela School.
- Birmingham publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Nelson Mandela School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Nelson Mandela School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Birmingham 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
99%
Near capacity
414 pupils
420 places
6 spare places 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 Birmingham council
Places available
15,375
Applications
12,117
Got 1st preference
92.1%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Birmingham council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
84
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
22.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
435
Total Pupils
242
Boys
193
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
17.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,866
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,053
Per pupil
£2943k
Total funding
£300k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.0%
Overall absence
19.2%
Persistent absence
380
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
Nelson Mandela School
Questions parents ask about Nelson Mandela School
What are SATs results like at Nelson Mandela School?
Of the pupils at Nelson Mandela School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 69% reached the expected standard in reading and 79% did so in maths.
What is Nelson Mandela School's Ofsted rating?
Nelson Mandela School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2008 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Nelson Mandela School?
No fixed boundary. When Nelson Mandela School is oversubscribed, Birmingham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Nelson Mandela School?
Nelson Mandela School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Nelson Mandela School?
Classes at Nelson Mandela School average 28.9 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 Nelson Mandela School?
Nelson Mandela School has around 435 pupils on roll. 50% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Nelson Mandela School?
7% of sessions were missed at Nelson Mandela School in 2024/25. 19.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Nelson Mandela School?
Apply through Birmingham's coordinated admissions process, naming Nelson Mandela 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.
Does Nelson Mandela School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 5 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Nelson Mandela School: Street Futures (210m away, registered, not yet graded), The Nest at St Paul's Venture (540m away, registered, not yet graded) and The Astute Childcare (650m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Nelson Mandela School's term dates?
Nelson Mandela School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Birmingham. 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). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Nelson Mandela School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 185 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 37 serious and 147 slight. 19 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 11 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 7 in a vehicle or otherwise. 25 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 Birmingham is 41 (the median across 517 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Nelson Mandela School?
Nelson Mandela School is at Colville Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, West Midlands, B12 8EH.
Sources: Birmingham term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)