The Vaynor First School, Redditch
The Vaynor First School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 9 in Redditch, part of Shires Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2010. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. It was 97% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2010)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Worcestershire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Vaynor First School in detail
The Vaynor First School in its own words
In its own words: "At The Vaynor First School the children are at the heart of all that we do. We want the very best for every child in our care, ensuring that no child gets left behind: socially & emotionally; morally or academically."
Coming up: an open day on Thursday 19 November 2026 at 10am, an open evening on Thursday 19 November 2026, an open day on Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 10am and an open evening on Tuesday 24 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Worcestershire
Vision and values (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at The Vaynor First School
For September 2026 entry, 87 families put The Vaynor First School as their first choice and 155 named it as one of their preferences, for 89 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at The Vaynor First School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Vaynor First School are St Luke's CofE First School (0.6 miles); Crabbs Cross Academy (0.7 miles, Good); Webheath Academy Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 75% reading, 60% maths); and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic First School (1 mile, Good).
St Luke's CofE First SchoolCrabbs Cross AcademyWebheath Academy Primary SchoolOur Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic First School
The trust
The Vaynor First School is one of 11 schools run by Shires Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
76 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Vaynor First School (as of September 2025): 90% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Who goes there
6.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (89%) and Mixed (7%).
In 2026, 53 pupils (12.5%) received SEN support and 11 (2.6%) 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 Redditch Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Longfellow Close (opposite), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Vaynor First School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
The Vaynor First School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Vaynor First School are Walkwood Church of England Middle School (under 0.1 miles), St Augustine's Catholic High School (1 mile), Birchensale Middle School (1.4 miles) and Woodfield Academy (1.4 miles).
Walkwood Church of England Middle SchoolSt Augustine's Catholic High SchoolBirchensale Middle SchoolWoodfield Academy
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from December 2010, 15 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Vaynor First School has exceptionally well-behaved pupils who are polite, cooperative and proud of their school. Reading is a priority with expert phonics teaching and tailored support to help all children catch up quickly. The outstanding early years provides an excellent foundation for learning, with children developing strong problem-solving and language skills through expertly-guided exploration.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and conduct - pupils are exceptionally well-mannered, polite and work cooperatively from early years
- Outstanding early years provision - children are expertly prepared for key stage 1 with excellent use of indoor and outdoor spaces
- Strong reading programme - phonics is taught consistently using a well-structured approach with high-quality support for those who need it
- Broad and ambitious curriculum - carefully planned from Reception through Year 4 with secure staff subject knowledge
- High expectations and positive attitudes - pupils work hard, take pride in their work and have strong motivation to learn
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers need better strategies to check what pupils know and understand so they can move on to new learning as soon as pupils are ready
- Assessment practices could be more effective to prevent gaps between what pupils have learned and new learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a positive culture that prioritises pupil welfare and wellbeing.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, house captains, playground leaders, charity fundraising, visits to local care homes to sing carols
The Vaynor First School is a good quality school where pupils are inspired to achieve their best and behave exceptionally well. The school has outstanding early years provision and strong leadership within The Endeavour Schools Trust.
At a Glance
6.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
76 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
28.3
Avg class size
28.4
Infant (KS1)
28.2
KS2
15
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Vaynor First School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Vaynor First School.
- Funzone at the Windmill Centre950m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Vaynor First School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Vaynor First School 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
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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
Your chances of a place at The Vaynor First School
Will you get a place at The Vaynor First School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Vaynor First School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Vaynor First School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Vaynor First School.
- Worcestershire publishes last distance offered figures, but none for The Vaynor First School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Vaynor First School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Worcestershire 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
97%
Near capacity
436 pupils
450 places
14 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Redditch
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Redditch
Across Worcestershire council
Places available
6,801
Applications
5,492
Got 1st preference
94.0%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Worcestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
53
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
15.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
425
Total Pupils
253
Boys
172
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
17.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,321
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£2362k
Total funding
£42k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5%
Overall absence
9.0%
Persistent absence
365
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 Vaynor First School
What is The Vaynor First School's Ofsted rating?
The Vaynor First School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2010, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Vaynor First School?
No fixed boundary. When The Vaynor First School is oversubscribed, Worcestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Vaynor First School?
The Vaynor First School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at The Vaynor First School?
Classes at The Vaynor First School average 28.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Vaynor First School?
The Vaynor First School has around 425 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Vaynor First School?
4.5% of sessions were missed at The Vaynor First School in 2024/25. 9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Vaynor First School?
Apply through Worcestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Vaynor First School 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 Vaynor First School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of The Vaynor First School: Funzone at the Windmill Centre (950m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Vaynor First School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Vaynor First School?
The Vaynor First School is at Tennyson Road, Headless Cross, Redditch, Worcestershire, B97 5BL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)