The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit, Redditch
The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit is a pru school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Redditch. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2026, ended in a report card: 4 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in January 2016.
- Ofsted report card
- 4 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit on 6 areas: 4 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Attendance is a strength of the school."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "The school is highly welcoming."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have established a culture of trust, care and ambition."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Personal development and well-being are integral to life at the school."
Achievement - Expected standard. "From low starting points, most pupils make meaningful progress, particularly in attendance, engagement and emotional regulation."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum is responsive to pupils' needs, experiences and stages of development."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers build precisely on what pupils already know and understand, and that they systematically address any gaps in pupils' learning across all subjects"; "Leaders should continue to work with local authority partners and other stakeholders to develop the quality and timeliness of commissioning information at the start of placements, ensuring that it is sufficiently detailed, accurate and aligned with statutory guidance".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Who goes there
62.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 3 pupils (37.5%) received SEN support and 5 (62.5%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Redditch Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Langdon Close (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 118 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Worcestershire (78), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 6 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- InclusionStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit
Pupils who attend the school have often experienced disruption to their education. Staff understand pupils' individual circumstances and provide consistent care and support that enable pupils to re‑engage with learning and rebuild confidence. This approach underpins the school's work. Pupils attend regularly and start the day in a calm and purposeful way. Staff place a strong emphasis on pupils feeling settled and ready to learn. Routines are flexible and responsive, allowing pupils time to regulate and feel safe. Pupils' individuality is recognised and valued. Learning environments are adapted to meet pupils' needs, including access to quiet spaces, opportunities for movement and familiar indoor and outdoor areas that support pupils to engage positively. Staff know pupils extremely well and understand their histories, vulnerabilities and strengths. Expectations remain appropriately high, and pupils are supported to make progress from their individual starting points. Progress is reflected in pupils' increasing willingness to engage, sustain attention and participate in learning, alongside developing confidence in interacting with adults and peers. Pupils behave well. When pupils experience difficulties, staff respond calmly and consistently. Behaviour is understood as a form of communication, and staff support pupils effectively to regulate their emotions and behaviour. Pupils learn that mistakes are accepted and that they remain valued members of the school community. As a result, pupils develop trusting relationships with staff and feel secure. Pupils' growing confidence supports successful learning. Small steps in reading and mathematics are recognised and celebrated, helping pupils to see themselves as learners. Pupils also benefit from wider experiences that support their social development and well‑being.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should ensure that teachers build precisely on what pupils already know and understand, and that they systematically address any gaps in pupils' learning across all subjects.
- Leaders should continue to work with local authority partners and other stakeholders to develop the quality and timeliness of commissioning information at the start of placements, ensuring that it is sufficiently detailed, accurate and aligned with statutory guidance.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 28 April 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Beacon is exceptional at supporting pupils who have experienced educational disruption. Staff build strong, trusting relationships that help pupils feel valued and safe, while using consistent routines and clear expectations to support emotional regulation. Most pupils make significant progress in attendance, engagement and confidence, with particular strengths in early reading and mathematics support.
Key Strengths
- Excellent attendance improvement - leaders take persistent, effective approaches that help pupils who previously had prolonged absence
- Strong behaviour management with calm, professional staff responses that support pupils to regulate emotions
- Highly inclusive approach with tailored support for pupils with special educational needs, social care involvement and disadvantaged pupils
- Excellent personal development focus on social, emotional and mental health through embedded routines and trusted relationships
- Strong leadership with clear focus on staff well-being and pupils' best interests
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent use of assessment information to shape learning in some subjects - not all teachers precisely match activities to pupils' individual starting points
- Variability in how curriculum is sequenced in some subjects
- Some gaps in learning not addressed promptly or consistently
- Initial placement information from local authority sometimes lacks detail and timeliness
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.
The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit is a specialist school that provides strong support for pupils with complex needs, many of whom have experienced significant disruption to their education. The school excels in creating a caring, inclusive environment where pupils re-engage with learning and rebuild confidence.
At a Glance
62.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit is in Worcestershire; for families living there:
Apply to Worcestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 10
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 8 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 Worcestershire is 5.5 (the median across 276 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
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Redditch
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Redditch
Across Worcestershire council
Places available
4,103
Applications
3,828
Got 1st preference
88.1%
Got preferred school
95.7%
All secondary applications across Worcestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
8
Total Pupils
5
Boys
3
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
1.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,929
Mean salary
2026 data
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit
Questions parents ask about The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit
What is The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit's Ofsted rating?
The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit?
No fixed boundary. When The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit is oversubscribed, Worcestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit?
The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit has around 8 pupils on roll. 63% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit?
Apply through Worcestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 8 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Worcestershire is 5.5 (the median across 276 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit?
The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit is at Longdon Close, Woodrow South, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 7UZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)