The Orchard School, Oldbury
The Orchard School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Oldbury. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Orchard School in detail
The Orchard School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is my pleasure and privilege to welcome you to The Orchard School, a specialist provision for pupils aged between 4 and 11 years of age. We pride ourselves on being a vibrant, caring and a considerate school. We aim for every child to excel in every aspect of their development and school life."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Orchard School are Halesbury School (1.6 miles, Requires improvement); The Westminster School (1.7 miles, Good); The Meadows School (1.9 miles, Requires improvement); and Coombswood Special School (2 miles, Requires improvement).
Halesbury SchoolThe Westminster SchoolThe Meadows SchoolCoombswood Special School
What parents say
19 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Orchard School (as of September 2025): 95% 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 (84%).
Who goes there
53.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 24.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at The Orchard School has an education, health and care plan (173 of 173 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Langley Green Rail Station, about 550 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Langley Green Road (opposite), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Orchard School 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 Orchard School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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 · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Orchard School excels at making every pupil feel valued and helping them achieve things their families once thought impossible. Staff use innovative approaches to develop reading skills and communication for all learners, supported by a well-resourced library and personalized learning profiles. The school prepares pupils thoughtfully for adult life through visits, visitors and activities like rock climbing, swimming and a signing choir.
Key Strengths
- Staff create a caring environment where pupils feel valued and supported to exceed expectations
- Well-designed curriculum that builds knowledge and skills over time, with regular checks to ensure pupils are making progress
- Strong focus on communication skills development, with every pupil having a personalized communication profile
- Excellent provision for pupils' personal development and preparation for future life
- High expectations for behaviour and attendance, supported by staff who understand pupils' individual needs
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils do not get enough chances to practise and secure the skills linked to their individual education plans (EHC plans) across different contexts
- Not all staff consistently use agreed communication methods like signing, pictures and technology, which slows progress for some pupils
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders putting pupils' best interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Rock climbing, swimming, signing choir, visits from local professional football club, sports day activities
The Orchard School is a special school for pupils aged 2-11 with severe and profound learning difficulties. It has improved significantly from its previous 'Requires Improvement' rating and now provides good quality education with staff who deeply support pupils to achieve well.
At a Glance
53.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
19 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)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from The Orchard School
From The Orchard School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Orchard School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Orchard School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Orchard School is in Sandwell; for families living there:
Apply to Sandwell for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 22 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Sandwell is 26.5 (the median across 134 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 - Oldbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Oldbury
Across Sandwell council
Places available
5,146
Applications
4,404
Got 1st preference
80.8%
Got preferred school
95.8%
All secondary applications across Sandwell council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
173
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
173
Total Pupils
118
Boys
55
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
27
Teachers
6.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,938
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.3%
Overall absence
44.3%
Persistent absence
149
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
The Orchard School
Questions parents ask about The Orchard School
What are SATs results like at The Orchard School?
Of the pupils at The Orchard School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is The Orchard School's Ofsted rating?
The Orchard School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for The Orchard School?
No fixed boundary. When The Orchard School is oversubscribed, Sandwell allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Orchard School?
The Orchard School has around 173 pupils on roll. 53% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Orchard School?
13.3% of sessions were missed at The Orchard School in 2024/25. 44.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Orchard School?
Apply through Sandwell's coordinated admissions process, naming The Orchard School 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 Orchard School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 22 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Sandwell is 26.5 (the median across 134 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Orchard School?
The Orchard School is at Causeway Green Road, Oldbury, West Midlands, B68 8LD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)