The Olive School, Birmingham, Birmingham
The Olive School, Birmingham is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Birmingham, part of Star Academies. It has a Muslim religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 13th-highest of the 275 schools in Birmingham with published results, and 1,036th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 2.5 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2019)
- Demand
- 2.5 first choices per place
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
The Olive School, Birmingham in detail
The Olive School, Birmingham in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Join our team and we promise a rewarding experience in return. Read more › At The Olive School, Birmingham, we believe that energy, enthusiasm and endeavour are essential to the delivery of excellence, and establishing positive relationships with parents and the local community is crucial to the school’s success."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, cricket, tennis, badminton, swimming, multi-sports, ballet, drama, choir and coding.
The school runs a breakfast club.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 91% of Year 6 pupils at The Olive School, Birmingham reached the expected standard in reading and 93% 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 (92% in reading, 93% in maths).
Getting a place at The Olive School, Birmingham
For September 2026 entry, 224 families put The Olive School, Birmingham as their first choice and 448 named it as one of their preferences, for 90 places offered. That is 2.5 first choices for every place. 134 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at The Olive School, Birmingham
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Olive School, Birmingham are Al-Furqan Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 89% reading, 88% maths); Yarnfield Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 70% reading, 73% maths); Greet Primary School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, 68% reading, 66% maths); and Yorkmead Junior and Infant School (0.6 miles).
The Olive School, Birmingham's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Al-Furqan Primary SchoolYarnfield Primary SchoolGreet Primary SchoolYorkmead Junior and Infant School
The trust
The Olive School, Birmingham is one of 36 schools run by Star Academies, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 85% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
174 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Olive School, Birmingham (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 86% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (86%).
Who goes there
46.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 40.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (65%), Mixed (10%) and other ethnic groups (6%).
In 2026, 68 pupils (10.8%) received SEN support and 12 (1.9%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Tyseley Rail Station, about 700 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Electricity Works (adjacent), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Olive School, Birmingham stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
The Olive School, Birmingham recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Olive School, Birmingham are Yardleys School (0.1 miles); Ark Boulton Academy (0.8 miles); Ark Victoria Academy (0.9 miles); and Ninestiles, an Academy (0.9 miles).
Yardleys SchoolArk Boulton AcademyArk Victoria AcademyNinestiles, an Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Olive School creates a warm, welcoming community where every child is expected to succeed and supported to excel. Staff are highly skilled and well-trained, delivering a carefully designed curriculum that builds knowledge and skills over time. Pupils love learning here - they're confident, enthusiastic and produce high-quality work across all subjects.
Key Strengths
- Carefully sequenced curriculum where pupils' knowledge builds progressively over time - pupils can clearly explain how their skills improve year on year
- Expert teaching of phonics from Reception onwards, with regular checks on pupil progress leading to skilled, enthusiastic readers
- Exemplary pupil behaviour throughout the school - calm, purposeful and harmonious learning environment where bullying is very rare
- Exceptional support for pupils with SEND, fully included in all school activities with carefully crafted, unobtrusive help
- Extensive enrichment opportunities including council roles, debating clubs, junior chef programmes and community charity work
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with an open and positive culture where pupils' interests are put first.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, debating club, junior chef programme, Snowdon climbing expedition, extensive community charity work
The Olive School, Birmingham has maintained its outstanding standards since the previous inspection in 2019. This happy, inclusive school is built on strong values of service, teamwork, ambition and respect, with pupils achieving exceptionally well across the curriculum.
At a Glance
46.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
174 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 91% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 93% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 93% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.0
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.1
KS2
21
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 The Olive School, Birmingham
Before and after school care
The Olive School, Birmingham is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Birmingham
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Olive School, Birmingham.
- Kidz Zone @ UCC Church870m away · Not yet graded
- Hunter Tutoring Ltd980m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
The Olive School, Birmingham is a free school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Birmingham's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Olive School, Birmingham from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Olive School, Birmingham 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
- 49
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 12
- Children hurt
- 10
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 49 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 12 serious and 36 slight.
10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 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 The Olive School, Birmingham
Will you get a place at The Olive School, Birmingham? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Olive School, Birmingham's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Olive School, Birmingham:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Olive School, Birmingham.
- Birmingham publishes last distance offered figures, but none for The Olive School, Birmingham that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Olive School, Birmingham for 2017 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
101%
Over capacity
631 pupils
630 places
1 pupil over capacity 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: 2.5 first choices per place
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
68
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
12.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
631
Total Pupils
317
Boys
314
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
32
Teachers
19.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,847
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,471
Per pupil
£3961k
Total funding
£338k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.3%
Overall absence
13.8%
Persistent absence
556
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
Questions parents ask about The Olive School, Birmingham
What are SATs results like at The Olive School, Birmingham?
Of the pupils at The Olive School, Birmingham who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 91% reached the expected standard in reading and 93% did so in maths.
What is The Olive School, Birmingham's Ofsted rating?
The Olive School, Birmingham's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2019, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Olive School, Birmingham?
No fixed boundary. When The Olive School, Birmingham is oversubscribed, Birmingham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Olive School, Birmingham?
The Olive School, Birmingham was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at The Olive School, Birmingham?
Classes at The Olive School, Birmingham average 30 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 The Olive School, Birmingham?
The Olive School, Birmingham has around 631 pupils on roll. 46% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Olive School, Birmingham?
5.3% of sessions were missed at The Olive School, Birmingham in 2024/25. 13.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Olive School, Birmingham?
Apply through Birmingham's coordinated admissions process, naming The Olive School, Birmingham 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 The Olive School, Birmingham have a breakfast club or after-school club?
The Olive School, Birmingham is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of The Olive School, Birmingham: Kidz Zone @ UCC Church (870m away, registered, not yet graded) and Hunter Tutoring Ltd (980m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near The Olive School, Birmingham?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 49 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 12 serious and 36 slight. 10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 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 The Olive School, Birmingham?
The Olive School, Birmingham is at 215 Reddings Lane, Birmingham, West Midlands, B11 3EY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)