Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School, Halesowen

Ofsted's report card from its 3 February 2026 inspection grades Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School on 7 areas: 6 strong standard and 1 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils' books sparkle with care."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Attendance is a standout strength."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Every classroom is a hive of pupils thinking, trying and achieving."

Early years - Strong standard. "Early years is a joyful, language‑rich environment."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders set a clear, shared ambition for the curriculum, for teaching and for pupils' wider development."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Pupils brim with confidence and pride in their school."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Staff know pupils well."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should embed, and continue to tighten, systems for rapid identification of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities alongside identifying the best processes and systems to ensure they get the right help at the right time and in the right way".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Inspired by the teachings of Christ, our Mission is to build his kingdom here on earth, at our school of sanctuary, where everyone is welcome."

The school runs after-school care.

In 2025, 97% of Year 6 pupils at Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School reached the expected standard in reading and 97% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 75% in Dudley and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 90% in reading and 77% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 30 families put Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School as their first choice and 69 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School are Halesowen CofE Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 81% reading, 65% maths); St Margaret's At Hasbury CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 83% reading, 67% maths); Huntingtree Primary School (0.4 miles); and Newfield Park Primary Academy (0.5 miles, 77% reading, 84% maths).

Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.

58 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School (as of April 2026): 86% would recommend the school, 86% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (95%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (71%).

11.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 28 pupils (13.8%) received SEN support and 1 (0.5%) 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 Old Hill Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.

17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Windsor Road (opposite), 180 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Our Lady and St Kenelm RC 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 121 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 Dudley (212).

In 2024/25, Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School issued 7 suspensions, 3.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School are Windsor High School and Sixth Form (0.1 miles), The Earls High School (0.4 miles) and Leasowes High School (1.5 miles).