Tenacres First School, Redditch

Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades Tenacres First School on 7 areas: 5 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders manage attendance carefully and do all they can to ensure that pupils benefit fully from the education on offer."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children settle quickly into the early years because staff create a warm and welcoming environment."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have created a culture that prioritises pupils' wellbeing."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a caring and welcoming school community."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development and wellbeing."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Despite leaders' high expectations, teaching does not consistently ensure that pupils secure the knowledge and skills that they need to communicate effectively in writing."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "The teaching of writing is not consistently effective."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff use assessment effectively to understand pupils' starting points in writing so that teaching in Year 1 and beyond builds securely on what pupils already know and can do"; "Leaders should ensure that the books that all pupils read closely match their stage on the phonics programme in order to help them develop the fluency and automaticity needed for maximum progress"; "Leaders should continue to embed the new handwriting policy from Year 1 so that staff consistently support pupils to develop transcription skills and become more fluent in their writing".

In its own words: "Our vision and purpose at Tenacres is for every child to have a happy, safe and nurturing environment, developing the whole child intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically and by ensuring a love of learning whilst preparing them for life after Tenacres. To ensure school is a safe, happy place for everyone, we ask all children to try their best to:"

From the headteacher's welcome: "Tenacres is a special place where the staff are dedicated to providing a stimulating, creative environment in which everyone feels valued and safe, ideas can flourish and pupils can realise their full potential. Our mission statement reflects the inclusive nature of our practices."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include choir and cooking.

The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am, from £2.50 per session.

For September 2026 entry, 64 families put Tenacres First School as their first choice and 105 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Tenacres First School are Arrow Valley First School (0.4 miles, Good); Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 94% reading, 94% maths); Matchborough First School Academy (0.7 miles, Good); and Moons Moat First School (0.9 miles, Good).

38 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Tenacres First School (as of April 2026): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (95%).

The nearest railway station is Redditch Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.

2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Costers Lane (adjacent), 380 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 168 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Worcestershire (78), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Tenacres First School issued 17 suspensions, 6.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Tenacres First School are Ipsley CofE Middle School (0.3 miles), Arrow Vale High School (0.5 miles), Church Hill Middle School (1.2 miles) and Woodfield Academy (1.5 miles).