Timbertree Academy, Cradley Heath
Timbertree Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Cradley Heath, part of United Learning Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 5 schools in Cradley Heath with published results, and 1,534th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.4 first-choice applications for every place. It was 96% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Sandwell (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Timbertree Academy in detail
Timbertree Academy in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at Timbertree Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 90% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 75% in Sandwell and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 87% in reading and 87% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Timbertree Academy
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put Timbertree Academy as their first choice and 79 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 12 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Timbertree Academy are Old Hill Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 79% reading, 86% maths); Corngreaves Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 93% reading, 83% maths); Cradley CofE Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 87% reading, 90% maths); and Colley Lane Primary Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 75% reading, 83% maths).
Timbertree Academy's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Old Hill Primary SchoolCorngreaves AcademyCradley CofE Primary SchoolColley Lane Primary Academy
The trust
Timbertree Academy is one of 98 schools run by United Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 66% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
44 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Timbertree Academy (as of September 2025): 80% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 53% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (53%).
Who goes there
39.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 11.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (72%), Asian (12%) and Mixed (10%).
Staffing
Timbertree Academy had 7 teachers in 2026, one for every 28 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Old Hill Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Coppice Road (opposite), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Timbertree Academy issued 1 suspension, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Timbertree Academy are Ormiston Forge Academy (0.9 miles), Windsor High School and Sixth Form (1.1 miles) and The Earls High School (1.3 miles).
Ormiston Forge AcademyWindsor High School and Sixth FormThe Earls High School
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; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); 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 November 2011, 14 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 May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Timbertree Academy excels at creating a calm, purposeful learning environment where every child is nurtured and inspired to be their best. The school's carefully designed curriculum ensures all pupils, including those with additional needs, can access learning and thrive. Pupils develop strong character, resilience and confidence, leaving them well-prepared for their futures.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum with clear knowledge and skills progression - staff know exactly what to teach and when
- Rigorous approach to teaching reading and phonics, with strong focus on vocabulary and oral communication skills
- Exemplary behaviour and personal development, with pupils understanding how to become responsible citizens
- Outstanding early years provision with play-based learning that encourages curious learners
- Strong careers programme and experiential learning through trips and visits that enhance pupil development
Areas for Improvement
- A small number of pupils miss school regularly despite targeted support to improve attendance
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Breakfast club, trips and visits including National Space Centre
Timbertree Academy is an impressive school where the vision of 'together we learn to succeed' is lived out daily through positive relationships and high expectations. The school provides an excellent standard of education and support, with pupils achieving highly and making excellent progress.
At a Glance
39.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
44 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 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 90% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 83% to 90% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.6
Avg class size
27.0
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
8
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Timbertree Academy
Term dates
Timbertree Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Sandwell's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Timbertree Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Timbertree Academy 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
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 15 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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
Your chances of a place at Timbertree Academy
Will you get a place at Timbertree Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Timbertree Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Timbertree Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Timbertree Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Sandwell, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Timbertree Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Sandwell 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
96%
Near capacity
198 pupils
207 places
9 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Cradley Heath
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cradley Heath
Across Sandwell council
Places available
4,920
Applications
3,985
Got 1st preference
94.1%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Sandwell council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
39
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
22.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
221
Total Pupils
117
Boys
104
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
31.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,846
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,745
Per pupil
£1333k
Total funding
£127k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.8%
Overall absence
18.5%
Persistent absence
184
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
Timbertree Academy
Questions parents ask about Timbertree Academy
What are SATs results like at Timbertree Academy?
Of the pupils at Timbertree Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 90% did so in maths.
What is Timbertree Academy's Ofsted rating?
Timbertree Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Timbertree Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Timbertree Academy is oversubscribed, Sandwell allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Timbertree Academy?
Timbertree Academy was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Timbertree Academy?
Classes at Timbertree Academy average 27.6 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Timbertree Academy?
Timbertree Academy has around 221 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Timbertree Academy?
5.8% of sessions were missed at Timbertree Academy in 2024/25. 18.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Timbertree Academy?
Apply through Sandwell's coordinated admissions process, naming Timbertree Academy 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.
How many road collisions happen near Timbertree Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 15 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Timbertree Academy?
Timbertree Academy is at Valley Road, Cradley Heath, West Midlands, B64 7LT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)