St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Smethwick

Primary
Voluntary aided school
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~424m)Possible (~605m)Unlikely (~787m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Fiona Deakin
Pupils:470 / 464 capacity
LA:Sandwell
Phone:01215581651
Address:Windmill Lane, Smethwick, B66 3LX
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 7 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Strong Standard
Behaviour
Strong Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Strong Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 10 February 2026View full report
URN:104000
UKPRN:10073945
Diocese:Diocese of Birmingham
Constituency:Smethwick
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

St Matthew's excels at making every child feel welcome, safe and valued. The school has excellent attendance and behaviour, with pupils who are focused, respectful and eager to learn. Teachers provide high-quality instruction with clear explanations and carefully crafted activities, and the school goes above and beyond to support vulnerable pupils and those with additional needs through targeted help and strong partnerships with families.

Key Strengths

  • High attendance rates well above national figures with very low persistent absence
  • Excellent behaviour and orderly, respectful school environment where pupils listen carefully and show positive attitudes to learning
  • Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum with high-quality teaching and strong subject knowledge
  • Highly inclusive approach that quickly identifies and removes barriers to learning, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
  • Strong handwriting teaching with beautifully presented pupil work

Areas for Improvement

  • Some pupils, including those with SEND, do not consistently develop detailed knowledge in some subjects as well as they could
  • Early years activities do not always match what children already know, so progress is not as rapid as possible
  • Some adult interactions in early years are less effective at building children's vocabulary
  • Leaders have not yet used enrichment participation data to shape or extend the enrichment offer to better reflect pupils' interests and aspirations

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Computing club, seaside trips, space centre visits, community projects, fundraising activities

St Matthew's CofE Primary School is a welcoming and inclusive school where pupils feel safe, happy and well-supported. Leaders have created a strong culture focused on helping every child thrive, with high attendance, excellent behaviour and ambitious teaching across the curriculum.

At a Glance

41.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-8ppMaths-6ppWriting-7pp

Reading has declined from 83% to 75%. Maths has declined from 86% to 80%. Writing has declined from 88% to 81%.

Class Sizes

27.0

Avg class size

29.3

Infant (KS1)

24.5

KS2

9

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Social & online

Getting There

Train Stations

Smethwick Rolfe Street Rail Station
1.1km · 18 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

101%

Over capacity

470 pupils

464 capacity

6 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Smethwick

Low pressure
New homes approved:441
Projected new pupils:110

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Smethwick

Admissions Demand - Sandwell

Low demand0.79x oversubscription

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(8)

10 February 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
24 November 2021
4 October 2016

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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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.03354%

Overall absence

8.99471%

Persistent absence

378

Enrolments

Authorised3.11845%
Unauthorised0.91509%
Persistent (10%+)8.99471%
Severe (50%+)2.6455%

Absence trend

3.31312%
18/19
3.06845%
20/21
4.49603%
21/22
5.44526%
22/23
4.29951%
23/24
4.03354%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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